


He Dreams, Until Such Time

by SolarMorrigan



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, End of game spoilers, Gen, Slow burn friendship, a little angst a little fluff, boss fight Hypnos, but probably not like you're thinking, is that a thing?, some other characters are there in the background
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:54:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 27,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29945481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SolarMorrigan/pseuds/SolarMorrigan
Summary: At the edge of Elysium, along the bank of the Lethe, dwells Sleep Incarnate, son of Night, brother of Death, and a force to be reckoned with should he be roused to fight.Prince Zagreus knows none of this, and enters his cave.
Relationships: Hypnos & Nyx (Hades Video Game), Hypnos & Thanatos (Hades Video Game), Hypnos & Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 99





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I cannot stress how little I thought this through before I started writing it. This is honestly just a bunch of silly Hypnos headcanons taped together with a vague concept brought on by one too many posts about boss fight!Hypnos and about how one day Hypnos is gonna snap. It was fun to write, though, so I hope someone has fun reading it! Went into this on the idea that Thanatos and Hypnos are definitely older than Zagreus. Otherwise, the timeline's a bit nebulous, do with it what you will
> 
> Credit and thanks to [Azure7539](https://twitter.com/azure7539arts), who was the person to infect me with Hades worms in the first place and who listened to me yell incessantly about this fic as I was writing it <3

The glade beyond the door was not what Zagreus had been expecting.

From what he knew of Elysium—admittedly not much, beyond the fact that most everyone there wanted to kill him—he’d thought he would have to face the champions to get out. He had expected his path to take him towards the arena, as every section of the Underworld eventually led him to its exit, one way or another.

Instead, it had led him farther from what seemed to be the more populous areas of Elysium (though this hadn’t stopped many exalted fighters from appearing to take a swing at him) and instead put him on the trail of the Lethe. He had noticed it broadening as he moved along, the soothing hush of its waters growing ever more noticeable, and he supposed that wherever he was, he must be near the head of the river.

The glade itself was peaceful, bounded on one edge by the Lethe and on the other by a wall of stone, filled with bright red flowers Zagreus had never seen before and had no name for. Against the stone edge, Charon had set up shop on a series of low pedestals, waiting patiently for Zagreus to come over and spend his hard-won coin. At the far end of the glade a single door awaited, large and closing off the entrance to what appeared to be a cave.

Really, aside from the flowers, not much marked the area as different from the rest of Elysium. Unlike the other chambers that preceded the guardians of a region, there were no clues as to who or what laid in wait beyond the door. Zagreus hummed to himself in thought.

“Good to see you, Charon,” Zagreus greeted, crossing the grassy expanse to examine the boatman’s wares.

“Hhaaooohh,” Charon replied, tipping his hat briefly.

“That’s true,” Zagreus agreed, already digging into his pocket to pull out the price of the meal sitting on the far right pedestal, as well as the boon from Artemis in the middle. “Whatever’s up ahead, I’ll need whatever edge I can get.”

Charon silently accepted the coins and allowed Zagreus to take up the wrap.

“You know, speaking of whatever’s up ahead,” Zagreus said idly after making quick work of his food, “I don’t suppose you know what it is? Or who?”

“Nnrrraughh,” Charon answered.

“You do?” That was the most answer Zagreus had managed to pull from Charon yet regarding the Underworld’s guardians. “Will you tell me?”

Charon said nothing, and Zagreus sighed.

“Had to ask.” He shrugged, heading for the door and watching it slide open for him. “Wish me luck, then, at least!”

Zagreus could feel Charon’s glowing gaze on his back as he stepped over the threshold, before the door slammed shut behind him.

Again, Zagreus was met with the unexpected. The interior of the cave didn’t seem like any kind of arena for pain and suffering, like Meg’s chamber or the little island where the hydra regularly tried to bite Zagreus’ head off; if anything, it looked a bit like someone’s living space.

One edge of the cave was open to the outside, letting in the bright glow of Elysium as the river flowed through the space, its gentle echo somehow monotonous and melodic at once. The rest of the cave was cool and dim, though Zagreus could see little shelves and alcoves dotted with unlit candles. Far towards the back, there was a lavish bed surrounded by colorful hangings and rugs.

There was only one other inhabitant in the cave; they were floating several feet from the entrance where Zagreus stood, and they appeared to be sleeping.

“Um…” Zagreus said softly, taking one uncertain step forward.

The figure before him jerked from their reclining position, floating into something more upright with a startled assurance of, “I’m up!”

Zagreus blinked at the figure. This certainly wasn’t a shade; they were too solid, and he’d never known shades to do much sleeping.

“Oh, hi there!” The being noticed Zagreus after a moment of sleepy blinking and greeted him with a hazy grin. “Oh – oh, hey! You must be Prince Zagreus, am I right?”

“Er… yes, that’s me,” Zagreus said, shifting as inconspicuously as he was able back into a fighting stance. “May I ask who you are?”

“Haven’t heard of me, huh?” The being gave a little laugh. “Well, that actually kinda figures. I’m Hypnos!”

Hypnos.

The name rang some sort of bell, somewhere in the back of Zagreus’ mind. Perhaps he’d heard it somewhere before, but he couldn’t place why.

All the same, this Hypnos seemed friendly enough. He hadn’t gone immediately into threatening or trying to kill Zagreus – in fact, he didn’t quite seem capable of being threatening, and so Zagreus saw no reason to be impolite.

“It’s nice to meet you, Hypnos,” Zagreus replied, even as he continued attempting to get the measure of his new acquaintance.

There wasn’t much to him. He was wearing fine robes in red and blue, accented with amethysts and golden pauldrons molded into stylized wings. His skin was of the deathly pallor Zagreus had come to associate with the likes of Nyx and Thanatos and other Chthonic beings, and he was almost impossibly lean. His hair was a riot of pale curls, all piled on top of his head and held back by a blue mask of some kind.

He was still smiling vacantly at Zagreus.

“Likewise, I’m sure,” Hypnos returned Zagreus’ comment. “Hey, could I get you something to drink?”

Oh – this was a routine Zagreus was familiar with. Sisyphus and Eurydice both offered him refreshments or other useful items when he stumbled across them; maybe he’d been mistaken in thinking that this was the way out, then. He’d been so sure, Charon had even had a shop set up outside, but maybe he’d just lost his way, or else the path through Elysium was longer than he’d anticipated. Instead of a final guardian, he’d just stumbled across someone secluded and helpful.

“Ah – sure, if it’s not too much trouble for you, that would be nice,” Zagreus agreed.

“Nah, it’s no trouble at all. I never get visitors, so it’s actually kinda nice!” Hypnos assured him, floating his way placidly over toward a far wall, where some kind of work table was set up amid a profusion of flowers in containers of all kinds – the same red ones with large, droopy blossoms from outside the cave that Zagreus couldn’t name.

“Can I ask what you’re doing here?” Zagreus inquired as he watched Hypnos busy himself with a few different bottles.

“Sure you can,” Hypnos chirped in return.

Zagreus couldn’t help the amused huff of a laugh that came up. “I guess I should just be more direct. What are you doing here, Hypnos? It seems pretty out of the way.”

“Do you mean here as in here in Elysium, or here in this cave, or here in front of you? Pretty broad question, if you ask me. And hey, you did! Because here in front of you, I’m giving you a drink—pick one, by the way, they all taste different—but here in this cave, I live here, and I guess it is a little off the beaten path, but it’s not bad–” Hypnos rambled on while offering the bottles for Zagreus to choose from, dangling by their necks from between his long, thin fingers.

There didn’t seem to be much import to the contents of Hypnos’ sudden monologue, so Zagreus didn’t feel altogether too guilty for tuning the words out for a few moments to choose between beverages. There was a blue one that swirled in cloudy bursts not unlike the waters of the Lethe, a red that glittered in the faint light of the cave, and a purple one that seemed to shine at the edges of the bottle but that grew so dark towards the center that it was nearly black. Zagreus had absolutely no idea what any of them did, but he supposed he would find out.

He eschewed the blue one right off the bat—it looked a little _too_ much like the Lethe for comfort, and he wasn’t keen on forgetting where he was or what he was doing—and after a moment of deliberation between the remaining two, chose the red one. It _was_ his favorite color, after all.

“–and anyway, Elysium overall isn’t bad, but it’s kinda bright,” Hypnos was saying as Zagreus reached out to take the bottle from his hands; the flow of his voice was oddly soothing, almost like listening to rising and falling babble of the river, but at a higher pitch.

“Cheers, mate,” Zagreus interrupted gently, popping the cork from the bottle and downing the contents.

It didn’t taste like anything so much as it _felt_. It was like drinking warmth, strangely soft in his mouth, fizzing comfortingly down his throat and pooling warmly in his center. Bit of an odd sensation, but Zagreus was well used to the flow of the power of others coursing through him by now.

“’Mate’?” Hypnos asked, his smile taking on a bit of a bewildered edge.

“Sure.” Zagreus shrugged, smiling back. “I don’t see why we shouldn’t be mates. You seem pretty nice, and there are very few people here who aren’t trying to kill me.”

“Oh.” Hypnos blinked at him, his smile fading away for just a moment in more apparent confusion. “Well… sure, I guess?”

Zagreus wanted to ask again what Hypnos was doing there—in Elysium, specifically, as Hypnos most certainly didn’t seem like the battle-ready type—but he feared setting off another stream of consciousness. He didn’t think he could sit through the entirety of one, he was suddenly aware that he was getting tired, and he still needed to find his way out of Elysium.

“Hypnos, you said you live here, right?” Zagreus asked, shaking his head a bit to pull himself back to alertness.

“Yep!” Hypnos answered, snapping back into his previous cheer.

“So you must know your way around, at least a little,” Zagreus said. “Could you tell me the way out of here?”

“Oh, I _could_ , probably,” Hypnos replied, turning away to replace the unused bottles on the shelf by the work table.

Zagreus shook his head again. “ _Would_ you?” he asked with some amusement as he stifled a yawn.

“Well, it’s actually just at the back, there. Opposite where you came in.” Hypnos pointed, an almost inconspicuous shadow of space standing out against the wall where Zagreus hadn’t seen it before, a pane of glass inset above it.

Zagreus frowned. “It’s… through here?” he asked, feeling a little slow to comprehend what that meant. “But… it’s not being guarded?”

Hypnos gave a little laugh, high and light. “I mean, it sort of is.”

“You…” Zagreus took a step towards the door, but his legs suddenly felt like jelly, entirely too weak to support his weight, and he stumbled and fell to his knees.

“Oop, that was quick,” Hypnos commented, propping his cheek against his fist and leaning against thin air. “Then again, you did take the red one. Probably the strongest one you could’ve picked!”

“What – what did you give me?” Zagreus gasped against a sudden wave of dizziness that threatened to drag him the rest of the way down to the floor.

He had never felt so tired in his life.

Hypnos gave Zagreus no answer, floating towards him with his hands clasped and his drowsy gaze gleaming with pleasure. “This was even easier than I thought it was going to be! I’ll be back in the house in no time!”

Zagreus’ eyelids were so heavy – _everything_ was so heavy. He fought the sensation, yet his resistance only seemed to make him more exhausted. He struggled to speak, but his jaw was too loose to form the words.

“Maybe I’ll even see you there!” Hypnos was reaching out to him now, one finger extended, and Zagreus could feel the presence of raw power inches from his skin. “Nighty-night, Prince.”

There was a gentle tap to his forehead, and the world went dark.

.

.

.

Zagreus came to in the Pool of Styx with a gasp.

The house came into focus around him, but for the life of him, Zagreus couldn’t remember how in the hell he’d gotten there.

What had just _happened_?

He marched up out of the pool and approached the House Greeter, a short little shade armed with a roll of parchment and quill, the former of which Zagreus gestured at impatiently.

“What just killed me?” he demanded, far less polite in his bewilderment than he would normally allow.

Giving the impression of furrowed brows, despite not having any, the shade turned the list towards Zagreus so he could read it for himself.

There, in neat script, Zagreus found more questions than answers:

 _Zagreus, Prince of the Underworld. Cause of death: Hypnos, Sleep Incarnate_.

-/-/-

Ignoring whatever derisive observation his father had in store this time, Zagreus crossed the hall and headed immediately towards Nyx’s customary corner of the house; she was the first and most obvious place to go for information, and information was exactly what Zagreus needed.

“You are back,” Nyx observed as Zagreus rounded the corner.

“Yeah, I ran into a bit of trouble out in Elysium,” Zagreus replied. “Nyx, is there anything you can tell me about a god called Hypnos? Sleep Incarnate?”

For a moment, for the barest breath of time, Nyx went absolutely still. Even her hair, constantly in motion around her, ceased to flutter for a second. Then the flow returned to her person as if it had never gone, but her voice was soft, almost breathless on the edge of surprise when she asked, “Where did you hear that name?”

“He told me himself,” Zagreus answered, a little hesitant in his confusion; he wasn’t sure he’d ever seen Nyx startled before.

“You spoke with him?” Nyx’s eyes when just a little wider, a near imperceptible shift in expression.

“More than spoke with him, he just killed me,” Zagreus explained, chagrinned; that hadn’t at all been a fair or honorable death.

Nyx stared at him for a moment. “Killed you,” she repeated, as if she didn’t quite comprehend.

“He gave me something to drink—and, admittedly, accepting it wasn’t my wisest decision, but in my defense everyone else I’ve met so far who’s offered me food or drink has been very friendly and helpful—that either put me to sleep or killed me outright,” Zagreus explained. “The end result was the same, anyway. By the time he told me he was actually guarding the exit to the surface, I was so exhausted I could barely move. I woke up in the Pool of Styx.”

“Guarding the exit…” Nyx murmured, looking down and away, eyes flashing darkly. “So your father has pulled Hypnos into this.”

“That was the impression I got.”

“I can’t imagine what it is Hades has offered Hypnos to get him to stand against you. To rouse Hypnos to fight… it is no small feat.”

“It was hardly a _fight_ , but…” Zagreus paused, wary suddenly of what reaction this revelation would bring, “right before he put me out, he said that he would be back in the house in no time.”

Nyx’s eyes were on him again, alarmed this time. “He told you this?”

“Yeah. Seemed to be under the impression that killing me once would be all it took.” Zagreus shook his head. “So, if he said _back_ in the house, does that mean… he used to live here?”

“He did,” Nyx confirmed, though her voice was distant and her gaze likewise.

“If I may ask, what happened?” Zagreus pressed gently. “Who is he? Or, who was he, here in the house? What did he do here?”

Nyx shook her head slowly. “I am sorry, I cannot answer your questions now, my child. Please leave me, for I have… much to consider.”

And much to say to Hades, Zagreus imagined. He considered pushing for answers—how was he ever to get past Hypnos if he didn’t know anything?—but he knew Nyx’s request had to be respected. He nodded to her, a quick, deferential dip of the head, before he turned to head towards his room.

“Zagreus,” Nyx said softly, just before he disappeared down the hall.

He looked back. “Nyx?”

“You intend to face him again.”

It wasn’t a question.

“I can’t let anything stop me from getting to the surface,” Zagreus said, feeling somewhat apologetic though he didn’t even understand why.

For a long moment, Nyx simply looked at him. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

At last, she found some words. “His appearance and demeanor may suggest otherwise, but Hypnos is not to be underestimated. Please remember this.”

Zagreus nodded. “I won’t make that mistake again.”

Nyx gave him a short nod in return, and Zagreus considered himself dismissed.

Only once he was back in his own room, standing idly before the Mirror of Night, did it occur to Zagreus to check Achilles’ codex.

Summoning the book into his hands, he flipped through the pages until he came to a section he knew had been blank when last he’d looked. The entry was short and hardly revelatory.

_Among mortals, Sleep has a reputation of something like mystery. He is gentle, but ephemeral; some have even said fickle, though others say he is kind. I have not met the god in person. Though it is my understanding that he once served the house, he was banished from it before my time here._

Zagreus frowned peevishly over the words. He supposed being poisoned into something like a peaceful death could be called _kind_ , when compared to the usual bashing and slashing.

It could not be said, however, that his impression of Sleep was quite as favorable as Achilles made the mortals’ out to be.

-/-/-

Zagreus fought his way back to Hypnos’ cave, much to Hypnos’ apparent surprise.

“You’re _back_?” Hypnos exclaimed, once he’d pulled himself from sleep and shoved his mask back up onto his head. “Why are you _back_?”

“Did you think my father would have employed the whole of the Underworld to keep me down here if the job was really so easy as killing me once?” Zagreus asked, one brow raised and hands firm on the hilt of Stygius.

Hypnos shrugged. “Kinda, yeah. I guess I didn’t actually put that much thought into it, now that you mention it. I just figured I’d send you back to the house and boom! Job done!”

“About that,” Zagreus ground out. “That was hardly _honorable_ , you know. You lied to me and then poisoned me.”

Hypnos didn’t seem terribly interested in Zagreus’ affront, giving a yawn and a full-bodied stretch, drawing attention to just how long everything about him was. It looked a little like he’d already been stretched out and like he’d never quite snapped back into shape.

“Well, first of all, I didn’t _poison_ you, I _drugged_ you. There’s a difference!” Hypnos said, rather abominably cheerful as he imparted this fact. “Second of all, I didn’t lie to you, either! I mean, I never said I _wasn’t_ giving you a sleep potion. You didn’t even ask what it was, you just drank it.”

That was… unfortunately true. Zagreus frowned. “That doesn’t make it _alright_.”

“Eh.” Hypnos shrugged again. “Y’know, maybe in the future you shouldn’t just accept unlabeled mixtures in bottles from weirdos in caves. But speaking of, can I maybe get you something to drink?”

Zagreus stared at Hypnos for a moment in disbelief. How stupid did Hypnos think he _was_? “No!”

“Had to try.” Hypnos smiled at him, spreading his hands in an ‘oh well’ sort of gesture. “You don’t seem like a guy who really takes other people’s advice!”

“I don’t tend to take the advice of people who’ve killed me, no. But in this case, the answer is kind of obvious,” Zagreus drawled, and Hypnos laughed. “You’re not going to get me with another potion, so you’re either going to have let me pass or kill me the old fashioned way.”

Hypnos’ mouth drew to the side thoughtfully. “Is killing people in their sleep _not_ old fashioned?” he asked. “I can’t say I have much experience, but it seems to me that mortals have been doing it for a real long time.”

For a moment, Zagreus was distracted by what the duties of the God of Sleep entailed. Could he feel every sleeping mortal? See their dreams? Did he know when they died in their sleep?

Zagreus shook the possibilities away, unwilling to lose sight of his goal. “Look, are you going to fight me, or not?”

“Well, I can’t exactly just let you go past,” Hypnos replied, straightening up a little from the lounge he’d settled into. “Lord Hades wouldn’t be very happy with me, and he probably wouldn’t keep up his end of the bargain!”

“The bargain being… what, you stop me from leaving the Underworld, and he’ll let you back into the house?” Zagreus hazarded.

“Pretty much!” Hypnos was stretching again, this time accompanied by the popping of joints.

“What did you even do to get kicked _out_ of the house?” Zagreus couldn’t help but ask, though he kept a wary gaze on his would-be opponent.

Under that gaze, Zagreus saw the first real trace of displeasure on Hypnos’ face.

“That’s a long story. And not even a good one.” Hypnos shook his head, and Zagreus could tell he wouldn’t be getting any further information from him.

“Alright…” Zagreus waited, but Hypnos made no move to attack, or even to _ready_ to attack. “…are we going to fight, then?”

“Sure.” Hypnos shrugged.

Zagreus waited another moment. “Do you even have a weapon?”

Hypnos snickered. “ _Do I have a weapon_ , he asks.”

Zagreus waited, but Hypnos only continued to float there.

“Well, do you?”

“ _Yes_ , I have a weapon!” Hypnos insisted. “I’m just trying to remember where I put it! I never need it in the waking realm, so I don’t exactly have it on auto-summon – _Ah_!”

At last, Hypnos held his arm out straight, palm open and waiting, and summoned what, for a brief moment, Zagreus could only describe as a fuck-off big hammer.

It was nearly as long as Hypnos himself, the head made from gleaming grey metal, intricately modeled and etched to resemble the head of a ram, with great, curving horns on either side and shining amethysts set in as the eyes. It was a beautiful weapon, and it was probably large enough to knock Zagreus’ head clean off his shoulders with one good swing.

Not that Hypnos looked strong enough to _give_ a good swing.

“ _That’s_ your weapon?” Zagreus asked, as if Hypnos could have summoned it by accident.

“Yep!” Hypnos confirmed, dropping slowly down from his float until his bare feet rested on the stone floor of the cave and then lifting the hammer to give it a few lazy twirls around his body.

Zagreus watched in disbelief as Hypnos’ lean arms manipulated the huge weapon in slow, graceful arcs, as though its weight was nothing to him, and recalled Nyx’s words of caution: _Hypnos is not to be underestimated_.

“Right, then,” Zagreus said, adjusting his grip on Stygius and preparing to lunge. “Let’s go.”

Even with Nyx’s warning in mind, Zagreus felt blindsided by the fight that ensued.

Hypnos’ hammer was unwieldy, that was true, and the swings were slow and easy to avoid at Zagreus’ usual level of strength and speed – it was Hypnos’ magic that did more than level the playing field.

He was quick to call up large, golden clouds of power, easy to see but slow to disperse, and though Zagreus knew with absolute certainty that he did _not_ want to be inside one of those clouds, he couldn’t avoid them forever.

He ducked and dodged around Hypnos’ attacks, taking a few good swings at him but finding him difficult to hit. He moved with grace – not the way Zagreus had seen Achilles move when they trained, not like Meg or like Thanatos, not with a warrior’s grace but with something like a dancer’s. Though his feet were firmly on the ground, it was almost like he was still floating, light and lithe and leading Zagreus around and around until he couldn’t help but dash right into a shimmering cloud of sleep magic.

Stumbling through it was beyond disconcerting, like some unsettling cross between the power of Aphrodite’s charms and Dionysus’ hangovers. Zagreus could feel his focus slip and his speed wane, as though the boon Hermes had gifted him with earlier had been voided entirely. For a brief moment, Zagreus wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep, and that moment was all Hypnos needed.

The first hit was like taking Bouldy at full force to the chest. Zagreus definitely felt something crack as all the air rushed out of him in one sickening _oomph_ and he was knocked back a few feet.

Still sucking wind and trying to get Stygius back up, the second hit got Zagreus in the side, knocking him back down and putting him perilously near another cloud of sleep.

“I gotta say, fighting you is nowhere near as interesting as fighting night terrors!” Hypnos said as he approached, readying his hammer for another blow.

“Give me time,” Zagreus ground out, summoning a bloodstone into his palm and tossing it at Hypnos before rolling out of range.

Zagreus heard the stone find its mark and managed to roll to his feet just in time to see the resulting burst of electricity envelop Hypnos, the sizzle of static mixing with Hypnos’ shriek of pain.

At last, Zagreus seemed to have fazed him in some way, but the effect was short-lived. As Hypnos jerked back into fighting stance, the bloodstone still lodged in his shoulder, he _laughed_.

It might have been an oddly pleasant sort of giggle, had it not been made disconcerting by context.

“Wow, you’re working with Lord Zeus, huh?” he asked, barely more than winded. “Y’know, he doesn’t like me very much! Maybe if you tell him you’re fighting me, he’ll give you something extra special to work with next time.”

Zagreus gave no reply. There was no sense in letting Hypnos rile him up; if he fought with anger, he knew he wouldn’t win. Hypnos might have had the upper hand now, but if Zagreus just kept a cool head then he would find his opening, and there wouldn’t _be_ a next time.

Hypnos certainly didn’t seem to be having trouble keeping calm; his placid smile was still sitting eerily on his face and his gaze was still heavy-lidded and dozy. Only when Zagreus drew closer did he catch a glimpse of something else in Hypnos’ eyes – a spark of something powerful and desperate that told Zagreus that Hypnos had much more of a stake in this than he was letting on.

Later, it would make Zagreus wonder just how badly Hypnos wanted to get back into the house. At the moment, it only made him realize that he might have been outmatched – at least for this round.

He had no idea if the blow to the head Hypnos landed not long after that _did_ manage to decapitate him, but he knew that it definitely killed him.

-/-/-

Zagreus dragged himself up out of the Pool with a huff of frustration and the intent to further needle Nyx for information. Surely there was something, anything, she could tell him about Hypnos. He had no desire to cause her distress by bringing up what seemed to be a perturbing subject, but he _had_ to get out – and the way out, unfortunately, was past Hypnos.

Giving the House Greeter a quick wave Zagreus moved to walk right past and seek out Nyx’s alcove once more, only to find that she was floating, regal and imposing, not far from where he stood.

She and Hades were having a meeting, it seemed.

“Do you really think this wise?” Nyx was asking coolly.

“I do not think it is your place to question how I allocate my resources in order to deal with a security breach,” Hades snapped in return.

“One would think Hypnos no longer falls under your remit, having been banished from the house,” Nyx replied evenly.

“He resides in the Underworld still and has done so under my good graces,” Hades growled. “It is about time he repays that good will.”

Zagreus held in a snort; he didn’t think the phrase “good will” had ever been applied to his father unless it was to note a want of it.

Nyx seemed similarly unimpressed with the claim. “Then what of this promise that he may return to the house, should he succeed in stopping Zagreus from reaching the surface?”

For a short moment Hades said nothing, and Zagreus would have bet that he hadn’t counted on Nyx finding out about the bargain so quickly. He allowed himself a moment to be smug for aiding Nyx in tripping up his father.

“Extra incentive,” Hades said at last.

“And do you intend to deliver on your end of the bargain?” Nyx asked.

“I always uphold my end of the bargain. Whether the fool who has entered into a bargain with me is able to uphold _their_ end is another matter,” Hades replied. “In any case, as I have said, I do not believe it is any of your concern at this point.”

“I do not care to have my children pitted against one another.”

Zagreus’ gaze snapped to Nyx. Her _children_? Plural? She and Hades were arguing about Hypnos being employed to stop Zagreus, and though Zagreus knew that Nyx still considered him one of her own in spite of recent revelations, that could really only mean that Hypnos was _also_ –

"You cannot blame me for this mess,” Hades barked, responding with bluster to the low warning in Nyx’s voice. “Blame the boy for his repeated ransacking of my realm. Blame Hypnos for putting himself in a position to be used. Blame _yourself_ , for all I care, for filling Zagreus’ head with whims of the surface, or for losing control over Hypnos to the point of–”

The candles lighting the great hall flickered, guttering down to the wick, and suddenly the shadows of the house, so often a familiar comfort, seemed much colder and far deeper. They crept further down the walls, pooling on the floor, and though Nyx had barely moved a muscle, it could be no one’s doing but hers.

“You go too far, Hades,” she said, hard and cold as diamond.

Hades had sat up straight in his throne, his stormy expression cleared to something neutral, which was the closest to admitting alarm Zagreus had ever seen him come.

“Perhaps,” Hades allowed after a moment.

Silence reigned over the hall. Even the shades, who were presumably not eavesdropping on the conversation at all, had gone hushed.

At last, Hades spoke again. “If Hypnos can defeat Zagreus and keep him at the house, then his banishment will be revoked. We’ll welcome him, even,” he added with a sardonic wave of his hand.

“And if he fails to do so?” Nyx inquired.

“Then at least he and the boy will be keeping each other busy,” Hades answered.

Nyx continued to stare at the lord and master of the house that stood only under her power. Zagreus had always gotten the impression that she only ever blinked when she felt like it, and the long stare did nothing to disabuse him of this thought.

Hades stared back.

Zagreus almost would have liked to put money on his father blinking first, but Nyx disappeared before it could happen.

The candles were once again allowed to cast their soft glow, reflecting off the gemstones studded around the hall, the shades returned to their usual low murmurs, and Hades picked up his quill to continue with his parchmentwork.

Zagreus didn’t bother searching for Nyx as he moved about the house to greet everyone else. Something told him that asking for further information now would be a bad idea.

-/-/-

“Y’know,” Hypnos said, leaning on his hammer and giving Zagreus a sleepy smile as the door to the cave slid shut behind him, “you may have fewer limbs than your average night terror, but you’re way more persistent.”

“I’ve been told it adds to my charm,” Zagreus replied.

“I dunno, there are some people who really appreciate an extra set of arms or legs on a person! You learn all sorts of weird stuff in dreams.”

“No, I meant – you know, never mind.”

Hypnos shrugged, pushing himself upright and hefting the hammer into both hands. He didn’t necessarily seem eager to begin their fight so much as he expected it to occur as a matter of course, and Zagreus jumped on the way he lagged.

“Say, Hypnos, before we go back to trying to kill one another, could I ask you a question?”

“Well sure! I mean, you just did,” Hypnos replied, sounding so earnest that Zagreus honestly couldn’t tell if he was trying to tease him or not.

“Something else, I mean,” Zagreus clarified.

“Oh.” Hypnos blinked at him. “Why would you want to do that?”

“Why… would I want to ask you a question?” Zagreus asked, uncertain where Hypnos’ confusion was stemming from.

“Aren’t you just here to fight your way through to the surface?”

Technically, yes, but it didn’t sound terribly friendly when phrased that way. “Well, that doesn’t have to be the _only_ reason, I’m here,” Zagreus said instead. “I’m curious about you.”

Hypnos laughed. “Wow, what a weird thing to say! But okay, I guess.”

Zagreus took this as the closest thing to permission to pry as he was going to get. “I know you don’t want to talk about why you’re not allowed at the house, but why do you want to get _back_ in so badly?”

Cocking one eyebrow at Zagreus, though his smile didn’t fade, Hypnos propped his hammer over one shoulder to free up a hand and wave at their surroundings. “Well, y’know, I do live in a cave.”

That… was true.

It wasn’t a _bad_ cave, really; it was lit to one side with cool shine of Elysium and glowed warmly with candles in the deeper recesses, was adorned with flowers and ornate glass baubles, and looked comfortably—if somewhat sparsely—furnished. The Lethe babbled pleasantly through and filled the space that might otherwise have been empty with echoes. If Hypnos did have to live in a cave, Zagreus supposed he could have done worse.

“It’s a very nice cave?” Zagreus offered.

“Thanks! I’ve tried to make it homey over the last… however long it is I’ve been here. But it’s still a cave. And anyway…” Hypnos trailed off for a moment. “Well, it’s a little out of the way, y’know? I don’t really get visitors. I mean really ever. And there are people at the house.”

There was so much hopeful loneliness dripping from Hypnos’ voice at the end that it made Zagreus ache. “People like Nyx?” he asked softly.

Hypnos’ eyes went wide, filling with apprehension even as delight lit his smile. “You know my mom? Uh- mother? Mother Nyx?” he stumbled over the words. “You know her? Well, I guess you must, huh, since she kind of holds the house up, and you live there!”

Suddenly, Zagreus became acutely aware how great the potential was for blunder here. He didn’t actually know the circumstances behind Hypnos’ banishment, nor how things had been left between Hypnos and Nyx. He didn’t want to make things worse – not least because he wasn’t sure fighting an angry Hypnos was at all preferable to fighting a levelheaded one.

“I do know her,” Zagreus confirmed, and that really seemed to be all Hypnos needed.

“Well hey, since it seems like we might be at this for a little while before you give up, would you mind telling her I said ‘hi’?” Hypnos asked brightly.

“I’m not going to give up,” Zagreus replied with a shake of his head. “But if I do end up back at the house, I’ll tell her for you.”

“It’s a pretty small ‘if,’ but that’s a good attitude!” Hypnos chirped.

They readied themselves, Hypnos spreading his hands on the handle of his weapon and Zagreus raising Aegis, and then as if at the signal of some inaudible bell, they began.

As expected, Hypnos raised a series of dizzying clouds of sleep magic around them, and Zagreus responded by bracing himself behind Aegis and dashing right into Hypnos. A small explosion of water rose up between them, drenching Hypnos and knocking him back.

“Oh, gross!” Hypnos whined, the reaction so unexpected that it actually gave Zagreus pause; his enemies didn’t often _whine_ at him. “What _is_ this?”

“It’s… water?” Zagreus said, shield still raised defensively in case this was a bizarre diversion tactic.

It didn’t seem to be. Hypnos smacked his lips a few times and stuck out his tongue. “Why is it _salty_?”

“Oh! I think it must be seawater,” Zagreus answered with a little laugh; he himself had wondered why the water tasted so odd the first time he’d caught a bit of the backsplash, until he’d recalled Achilles telling him about the great, saltwater oceans that covered much of the surface world.

Had Hypnos ever seen the oceans? Had he ever even been to the surface? Zagreus nearly asked, until Hypnos, who had been aiming a disgruntled look at the water still dripping from his skin, raised one arm to his face and licked.

Zagreus watched in bewilderment as Hypnos made another face and shook the remaining water from his arm.

“Weird!” Hypnos declared. “So this must mean you’ve got Lord Poseidon on your side, huh?”

“Among others,” Zagreus answered with a smirk, falling back into defensive position now that matters had returned to the battle at hand.

“Wow! All those Olympians backing you up and you _still_ keep losing!” Hypnos observed, picking his hammer back up. “That’s actually pretty impressive!”

Zagreus’ smirk dropped, but he had no time to dwell on the cheerful taunt as he ducked under Hypnos’ first swing.

He was onto something, he decided, in bringing Aegis to the fight. Not only did his shield block the heavy strikes from the hammer, but hurling it from a distance—thus out of range of range of Hypnos’ weapon and not necessitating a potential dash through clouds of sleep—proved effective.

Hypnos still managed to send Zagreus back to the house with alacrity, but Zagreus at least lasted longer than he had the first time, and he made a mental note before the darkness of death overtook him: ranged weapons.

-/-/-

For the first time in a very long time, Zagreus dragged his feet over talking to Nyx. He stopped to pet Cerberus, chatted with Achilles, gave another bottle of nectar to Dusa, and even had a quick exchange with his father before he rounded the corner to face Nyx.

Nyx’s eyes softened with sympathy to see him approach. Zagreus doubted the feeling would last long.

“Do not be discouraged, my child. You will pass this obstacle, as you have all others, and you will one day achieve your goal,” Nyx promised him.

“Thank you, Nyx. I will keep trying. Hypnos is just proving… more difficult to fight than anticipated,” Zagreus replied, testing the waters as he spoke.

Nyx pursed her lips and nodded. “He is of the Night. A powerful being. But with the help of your mirror and of your Olympian kin, I have no doubt that you will… find a way around him.”

 _Find a way to kill him_ , Nyx did not say; it was unlike her to shy from the truth of a matter, but if there was one thing that troubled her over all else, it was to see her children in distress – particularly if they were causing that distress for each other. There was nothing she could do to soothe this disagreement, however, and so its inevitable conclusion would have to come to pass.

“I’ll keep trying,” Zagreus said again. “In the meantime, though… he asked me to say ‘hi’ to you for him.”

Nyx’s eyes sharpened from concern to displeasure in a heartbeat, though her tone remained even when she answered. “You spoke to Hypnos about me?”

“We didn’t exactly have a conversation, he just asked if I knew you. I wasn’t going to lie,” Zagreus replied firmly.

Frowning still, Nyx continued to regard Zagreus for a long moment. He stood his ground. Eventually, she sighed.

“Your generous nature and open demeanor are among your greatest qualities, Zagreus, but it is unwise to continue in this manner,” Nyx said softly. “You should not speak to Hypnos as though he may be a friend or ally.”

“Why not?” Zagreus asked, just short of demanding. “I know Hypnos is powerful, but he doesn’t actually seem… dangerous, if that makes sense? I doubt he would ever really attack me if Father weren’t putting him up to it. He just seems… lonely.”

For a moment, there was a palpable sadness to Nyx, an almost contagious wave of it, and then it was gone as quickly as it had come. Nyx sealed her emotion away, back into serenity and practicality.

“I advise against forming any kind of attachment. Do as you must to get past Hypnos, but conversation will in no way further your goal.”

Maybe Nyx was right: maybe talking to Hypnos was pointless – or even detrimental. Yet somehow, Zagreus just knew there was more to it than that.

“This is about what you and Father argued over earlier, isn’t it?” Zagreus guessed. “You don’t think he’ll ever let Hypnos back into the house.”

“My thoughts on the matter are my own,” Nyx said evenly. “You have my advice. You may take it, or you may not, but I strongly recommend the former. That is all.”

Zagreus knew a dismissal when he heard one. He didn’t always choose to heed them, but in this case, a tactful retreat seemed best. He nodded to Nyx and turned away, ready to head into the lounge, but found that he couldn’t quite leave it at that. Perhaps “tactful” just wasn’t for him.

“He’s… he’s residing in a cave by the Lethe, at the edge of Elysium,” Zagreus said quietly, turning back to look at Nyx. “If you wanted to…”

“I am aware.”

Nyx’s tone brooked no more discussion on the matter.

“…alright then.”

Zagreus ducked into the lounge. He had another run to prepare for.

-/-/-

When Zagreus made it back to Hypnos’ cave on the Lethe, he wielded Coronacht and was ready to do some damage.

Hypnos, on the other hand, seemed to be in no hurry to get to their match, still yawning and stretching in midair. Honestly, if Zagreus hadn’t known who Hypnos was, it would have been embarrassing that he was being consistently defeated by this sleepy muddle of limbs and curls.

After a moment, Zagreus was forced to lower his bow in order to stifle a yawn of his own. He shot Hypnos a dirty look.

Hypnos shrugged and gave him an unapologetic grin. Zagreus sighed.

“Hypnos, can I ask you a question?”

Now in the midst of summoning his own weapon, Hypnos cocked his head curiously at Zagreus. “Another one? Shoot.” He glanced at the bow still resting in Zagreus’ hands and amended, “or, uh, y’know, ask away.”

“Why doesn’t Lord Zeus like you?”

“Oh! Ha, yeah.” Hypnos shrugged under the weight of his hammer, smiling as if he were reminiscing. “I put him to sleep once. Or twice. Boy, he got mad!”

“You put him to sleep,” Zagreus clarified flatly.

“Yep!”

“Lord Zeus.”

“Yep!”

“What, did you drug him, too?”

Hypnos shook his head. “Nope! I can actually just— _poof_ —put people to sleep!”

“You can?”

“Well, sure. I _am_ sleep incarnate.”

Zagreus readjusted his grip on Coronacht, his fingers suddenly itching to fire. “Why don’t you do that to me, then? Why bother fighting?”

“Well, if people see it coming, they can fight it off, and I get the feeling you’d fight pretty hard!” Hypnos informed him brightly, apparently unaware of Zagreus’ sudden unease. “It probably wouldn’t work super well.”

“I… see. I think,” Zagreus replied, though he wasn’t particularly thinking over the parameters of Hypnos’ power so much as its source.

Hypnos was no shade or enforcer, nor any beast born of the Underworld – he was a full and true god. He was a child of Night, someone older and probably more powerful than Zagreus himself – strong enough to put the most powerful of the Olympians under his spell, if he chose.

For the first time since meeting Hypnos, Zagreus was intimidated.

However, as Hypnos shuffled into a ready stance for battle, Zagreus shook off the feeling and took his own stance – after all, what was Hypnos going to do? Kill him?

Firing on Hypnos from a distance turned out to be one of Zagreus’ better strategies. Hypnos remained as difficult to hit as ever, weaving and dodging around arrows as well as he had the strikes of Zagreus’ sword and shield, but the increased space between them meant Hypnos had to work harder in return to hit Zagreus. That wasn’t to say his hard work didn’t pay off, however, or that he was without remark when it did.

“Y’know, maybe I shouldn’t be giving you advice, since we’re fighting,” Hypnos commented after landing a blow to Zagreus’ side and dancing out of the way of the bloodstone-turned-blade rift that Zagreus had hurled in response, “but it’s really pretty useful to get out of the way when I try to hit you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Zagreus said, the sarcasm nearly automatic as he took aim at Hypnos and fired.

 _At last_ , one of his arrows did more than glance off Hypnos; still occupied with the blade rift and unable to dodge in time unless he wanted to blunder right into it, he caught the arrow in his side with a grunt and was briefly knocked off balance. It stuck, the shaft visibly lodged somewhere around Hypnos’ waist before the spell holding its form dissipated and his robes immediately began to dampen with ichor.

“Wow,” Hypnos laughed, pressing his hand to his side, less to stem the flow of blood and more, it seemed, simply to draw his hand back and marvel at the fact that he was really bleeding. “This really _hurts_! And you just… do this constantly? Let people hit you until you die?”

“Generally I try to hit them until _they_ die, really,” Zagreus replied, nocking another arrow and firing.

Hypnos’ distraction hadn’t lasted long, and he ducked away before the arrow could make contact.

“That sounds tiring! Have you ever tried maybe just taking a good, long nap?” Hypnos suggested, stumbling slightly as he moved out of the way of Coronacht’s volley fire.

Zagreus shook his head, giving no quarter now that he’d created a weakness in Hypnos’ defenses. “I’m not going to stop, Hypnos. I get further each time, and I _will_ get past you.”

“Maybe!” Hypnos conceded cheerfully. “But y’know, the thing is, the further you go, the harder things tend to get.”

From where Zagreus was standing, they actually seemed to be getting easier – and maybe that ought to have been the main red flag. He’d knocked Hypnos off-kilter, though, really wounded him for the first time since they started fighting, and it was entirely possible that he was feeling just a little overconfident.

He was quickly cured of this when Hypnos dropped his grip on his hammer—the weapon obligingly remaining floating in place, rather than dropping to the ground as any normal object might have—and brought his hands up in front of him. They appeared to be glowing, and Zagreus braced himself for another wave of sleep clouds before realizing that the golden light seemed to be coalescing into something. Several somethings, actually – smallish, pointed, sharp-edged somethings.

“Oh, come _on_!” Zagreus groaned before ducking and rolling out of the way of the first wave of daggers Hypnos flung at him.

From across the room, Hypnos snickered. “You didn’t think I didn’t have _any_ tricks left up my sleeve, did you?”

“I’d hoped,” Zagreus grumbled, before a well-aimed dagger caught him in the thigh and sent him tumbling; it felt like a cloud of sleep had convened specifically over his leg, briefly numbing it entirely.

When the sensation went away and the pain of the gash set in, he wondered if he hadn’t preferred it the other way. It didn’t much matter, however, as the fight didn’t last much longer after that.

-/-/-

_Son of Night and brother of Death, Sleep is a chthonic god, yet the only I have heard of whose domain involves the care of more living souls than dead. Perhaps it is for this reason that the house carries on well despite his absence._

Zagreus read back over the two sentences that had filled in under Hypnos’ name in Achilles’ codex. His continued meetings and pre-battle conversations with the sleepy god seemed to have prompted a little more information to shake out of the book, but it still wasn’t much. The codex—nor Achilles himself—couldn’t really be blamed, of course; Zagreus hadn’t gotten much information about Hypnos out of anyone since they’d first met, and the codex could only reveal as much as Achilles had known about Hypnos when the entry was written.

There was an idea, though – this entry had surely been written some time ago, but Achilles had been around the house for quite a while; perhaps he’d heard more in the meantime. It could at least be worth asking, Zagreus supposed.

He approached Achilles while making his rounds after another trip back through the Pool of Styx courtesy once more of Hypnos; Zagreus was making undoubted progress against him, he could feel it, but he hadn’t prevailed just yet.

Achilles bowed his head as Zagreus approached, then favored him with a sympathetic smile. “Keep at it, lad. I’m certain you’re making headway.”

“I will, sir, and I am – I did have a question, though,” Zagreus replied.

“I’ll answer to the best of my ability. What’s on your mind?”

“It’s Hypnos. I mean, what else, considering he’s still barring my path, but…” Zagreus sighed. “I know your codex said you never met him in person, but is there anything at all you can tell me about him? You’ve guarded these halls a long time, surely you’ve heard something?”

Achilles gave an apologetic shake of his head. “I really don’t know much, I’m afraid. It’s been my impression that, while talk of him isn’t _forbidden_ , it’s discouraged. Impolite to bring it up, perhaps.”

“But whatever he did, surely it can’t have been so bad,” Zagreus insisted, puzzled and exasperated by answers that continued to dance just out of his reach. “He can be _irritating_ , I know that, but there are very few things that can actually get you banned from the house, and Hypnos doesn’t seem capable of any of them.”

“It would have been a long time ago now, lad,” Achilles pointed out. “People change. Perhaps Lord Hypnos as you know him now is not as he was when he served the house.”

Zagreus considered this. He had no way of knowing what Hypnos was like prior to his banishment, but it was hard to imagine him any way other than as he was now. It was as though Hypnos was never meant to be anything more than oddly cheerful, lazy yet excited to help, somehow bothersome and charming in one breath – it was simply who he was.

Beneath that, though, Zagreus could recall other quirks: the way he laughed too long, sometimes verging on hysteria; the way he seemed baffled by Zagreus’ interest in him; the way he talked too much and all at once, as if he was afraid he wouldn’t get the opportunity otherwise – hallmarks of isolation and neglect that were edging in on his personality.

Zagreus sighed. “Maybe he isn’t.”

There wasn’t much more to be said on the matter, and Zagreus thanked Achilles for his time before meandering over toward Thanatos where he stood at the balcony overlooking the Styx. Single-mindedly though he had been seeking a way out of the Underworld, Zagreus was lately being reminded that there needed to be more to his life than this constant cycle of death – and Thanatos seemed to have finally forgiven him his abrupt departure.

A quick conversation with a friend seemed like a more than adequate way to pass the time between runs.

-/-/-

As Hypnos showed his sleepy cheer without reserve, he also showed his fear. There had been more and more of it bleeding into his expression as of late.

The last time he and Zagreus had fought, Zagreus had caught a glimpse of outright alarm in Hypnos’ eyes as he had made a jab with Varatha and had known he must have been _close_ – it was only an ill-timed cloud of sleep magic and a dagger in his chest that had stopped him.

But not this time.

This time, there would be no slip-ups, no last-minute saves. This time, Zagreus was going to win.

Bearing the Fists of Malphon, Zagreus got in close, avoiding the wide swings of Hypnos’ hammer and landing strike after strike. Funny enough, it was Lord Zeus who had augmented the fists this time, and Zagreus studiously ignored the smell of burned flesh as he caught Hypnos in the ribs with another punch.

A volley of daggers forced him out of Hypnos’ immediate vicinity, and a swing from the hammer had him dashing back a few more paces still, but Zagreus wouldn’t be shaken off for long. He ducked around a cloud of sleep, dodged another wave of daggers, and landed three quick hits in succession.

The sleep clouds were wavering around them, and Hypnos’ grip on his hammer was white-knuckled and clumsy. His teeth were bared and painted in ichor as golden as his magic and his eyes were wide, unfocused and alarmed.

Even as Zagreus drew back for a final punch, he knew he had won.

From the sudden fearful clarity in his gaze, Hypnos knew it, too.

“ _Wait_ –” Hypnos gasped, but he was cut off by Zagreus’ fist connecting with his temple.

His magic dispersed, clouds disappearing as if they never were, and his hammer desummoned, returning to the infinite storage of the aether to await its wielder’s next call.

Hypnos hit the ground in a crumpled heap.

And stayed there.

A feeling of dread began to creep over Zagreus through the haze of adrenaline. Hypnos’ body wasn’t disappearing. Zagreus didn’t know what would happen to Hypnos now, but he knew his body was meant to go _somewhere_. If it hadn’t, then he wasn’t dead yet and he as just lying there in pain and Zagreus as going to have to hit him again out of _mercy_ , and–

“ _I’m not ready_ ,” Hypnos mumbled, his broken voice interrupting Zagreus’ whirl of panic.

“What?”

Hypnos gave no answer. Instead, much to Zagreus’ surprise, the familiar red waters of the Styx bubbled straight up out of the floor. He backed up a few steps when the water lapped over his toes, keeping out of the way lest the river get the wrong idea, but it flowed only over Hypnos’ body, engulfing him. Then, as quickly as they’d come, the waters receded, and Hypnos was gone.

Zagreus was alone in Hypnos’ cave.

He barely registered the noise that signified the exit had unsealed, hardly even thought to examine the chamber reward as he swiped it away into the aether for storage. Instead, he felt the same bitter combination of triumph and regret that he had the first few times he’d defeated Meg.

Still numb with adrenaline and with the disbelief that he’d finally— _finally_ —gotten past Hypnos, Zagreus moved towards the back of the cave.

On the way, he passed by Hypnos’ little living area, and even in spite of his desire to focus on his goal, Zagreus couldn’t help but glance over at it. There was a bed, of course, large and comfortable, smothered with mismatched pillows and blankets and perfectly fit for the eclectic god of sleep; there were pennants and wall scrolls, including a prominent one of what looked to be the Bull of Minos; there was a vanity table strewn with an odd assortment of items—more flowers (poppies, Hypnos had informed Zagreus once), glass bottles, feathers, obol—and there were a few rugs on the floor, possibly in an effort to make the space feel warmer, homier.

It looked comfortable.

It _felt_ lonely.

Zagreus glanced away with a frustrated shake of his head. Hypnos wasn’t really _dead_. He’d be back – but, with luck, Zagreus wouldn’t. He needed to focus.

Sealing away his thoughts, Zagreus exited the cave and climbed up out of the Underworld.

-/-/-

Inside the Temple of Styx, Zagreus faced satyrs and rodents and other unpleasant manifestations, and he defeated them.

Outside the Temple of Styx, Zagreus faced his father.

And he was sent back home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) I swear this will have a nice and happy ending. Zag will fix everything  
> 2) For reference, [this](https://hades.gamepedia.com/File:Hypnos.png) is the look Hypnos is currently rocking  
> 3) Hypnos wielding a hammer was brought on almost entirely by the quote "Bonk him over the head! It's nature's snooze button!" Azure egged me on  
> 4) So I know Hypnos is basically a primordial god and everything and would probably be very difficult to actually defeat but I needed Zagreus to be able to get past him so let's just say that if Hypnos _really_ sees someone as a threat, he's capable of being much, much scarier. Let's call this Hypnos on Easy Mode. I don't really write action much, so I hope this all came out okay??


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually wrote this all in one block, but I decided to break it into chapters since it got kinda long. But... decided to post all the chapters at once, since it's complete anyway. So here's part two

In his disbelief that it had really come to his own father facing him, in his frustration that he’d been defeated, Zagreus didn’t really put much thought into what had happened the last time he’d fought Hypnos until he was nearly through Elysium.

Zagreus threw himself at each challenge with a renewed determination, slashing through wretches and witches and bloodless and exalted foes with Stygius, barely stopping for breath between regions, and it wasn’t until he began to see the familiar broadening swath of the river that he realized he was almost at Hypnos’ cave.

He wondered what had happened after the Styx had taken Hypnos. Had he gone back to the house, the way Zagreus and Meg did? Was there another outlet for it somewhere that rebirthed those who weren’t allowed in the House of Hades? Would Hypnos even be there, back at the cave, waiting to face Zagreus?

Well, there was only one way to find out. Zagreus entered the poppy-filled glade that preceded the cave—and the exit—and waved to Charon.

“Don’t spend it all in one place, mate,” he joked after handing over the total for a centaur heart and another boon from Athena, and he swore he could see Charon roll his one visible eye beneath his broad-brimmed hat.

Zagreus gave Charon another cheeky wave before approaching the glade’s exit and stepping through.

Bright light flooded the space within, and then disappeared just as rapidly once the door slid shut behind him. Zagreus blinked the spots away and glanced around as his eyes began to adjust. Hypnos wasn’t there at the entrance waiting for him, floating lazily and more or less ready to do battle, and Zagreus’ heart began to sink. Surely his father wouldn’t allow Zagreus to pass through unimpeded, he’d have replaced Hypnos with someone, but Zagreus didn’t _want_ to fight anyone else. Hypnos was a frustrating battle, but Zagreus found himself realizing that he would miss it if he had to face a new challenger.

(Not to mention he’d have to start from scratch in learning someone else’s fight pattern.)

Just as Zagreus was beginning to tense with trepidation—if there _was_ a new challenger, where were they?—a gentle snore called his attention to the corner where Hypnos’ worktable stood.

Hypnos was there, seated at the table, slumped over the surface and fast asleep.

Zagreus breathed a sigh of relief, unable to keep the smile from forming on his lips. Everything was as it should be.

Several times, back when he’d first started facing Hypnos, Zagreus had tried to sneak around the god as he slept, yet it had seemed every time Zagreus got far enough into the cave Hypnos would startle awake. Zagreus used the fact to his advantage now, taking a few steps over where he’d marked the invisible line, and watched as Hypnos snapped upright at his table with a snort.

“I’m awake! What?” Hypnos whirled around with possibly the closest thing to grumpiness Zagreus had ever seen on his face before it cleared away in confusion.

“Hi, Hypnos.” Zagreus waved.

Hypnos blinked at him. “You’re back.”

“So are you,” Zagreus observed.

“But… but you got out. You got past me! Up to the temple, and everything!” Hypnos waved his arms with even more emphasis than usual, gesturing vaguely towards the ceiling.

“Apparently, it’s not quite that simple,” Zagreus replied, though he wasn’t quite keen on elaborating. “Where did _you_ go?”

Hypnos bit the inside of his cheek. “Back to the house, actually,” he answered after a moment, tone forced into something resembling his usual cheer. “Guess they never revoked my clearance for regeneration through the Pool of Styx, which is handy, since I’m not actually sure where I’d have ended up, otherwise. Anyway, does this mean you’re trying again?”

“I did say I wouldn’t stop,” Zagreus reminded him.

“Huh. Huh!” A grin began to spread over Hypnos’ face, true and hopeful. “I guess this means I still have a chance to stop you!”

Somehow, Zagreus couldn’t help but laugh. “I guess so!”

They fought again, and it seemed that Zagreus wasn’t the only one filled with renewed zeal. Hypnos won the round, sending Zagreus back to the Pool of Styx, but it was a near thing. Zagreus refused to be deterred; he had beaten Hypnos once already, and he would do it again.

And again.

And as many times as it took for Zagreus to free himself of the Underworld.

-/-/-

“Looks like you won this one,” Thanatos said, pulling a centaur heart from an unseen pocket and passing it to Zagreus.

Zagreus accepted with a grin. “Thanks.”

He waited.

Thanatos wasn’t rushing away as he usually would if Zagreus didn’t pull him immediately into conversation, but nor was he lecturing Zagreus on whatever foolhardy thing he thought Zagreus was up to now. He looked like he wanted to speak, but wasn’t sure where to start.

“Did you–”

“You’ve been fighting Hypnos,” Thanatos cut in in a rush.

It took Zagreus a moment to parse the statement as something that required an answer. “I have, yeah.”

“You _defeated_ Hypnos.”

Thanatos was one of the few people Zagreus hadn’t yet tried to interrogate about Hypnos. It wasn’t that he hadn’t wanted to—he’d wanted very much to ask, actually, for if Achilles had gone so far as to list Hypnos as Thanatos’ brother in his codex entry, Thanatos must know something—but his time with Thanatos was often so limited that Zagreus didn’t want to scare him off with sore topics.

Now, he tried to read the inscrutable general displeasure on Thanatos’ face, wondering if he was upset that Zagreus had technically killed his brother.

“Took a few tries, but I’ve gotten through him once,” Zagreus said carefully. “And I’ll do it again.”

Thanatos tsked. “I don’t know whether to be surprised that it took you this long to do it, or that you managed to do it at all.”

“And I don’t know whether to be offended by that,” Zagreus shot back lightly.

“He’s offspring of Mother Nyx, Zag. He’s powerful,” Thanatos said sternly. “But he’s also lazy and generally useless.”

Having been on the receiving end of Hypnos’ power many times now, he didn’t know that he would say _useless_. Lazy, he’d grant Thanatos, but useless? Then again, Zagreus hadn’t known Hypnos before his banishment; Thanatos _had_.

“Sounds like you know him pretty well.”

“I thought I did,” Thanatos snapped.

“Than…” Zagreus sighed. “No one will tell me what Hypnos did. How he ended up banished from the house. Frankly, I’m running out of people to ask. Will you tell me?”

Thanatos opened his mouth, the denial clear and immediate in his expression, but he closed it again before any words made it out.

“Not here. Not now,” he said after a moment. “I have things to do. I’ll see you later.”

Before Zagreus could say anything more, Thanatos had disappeared from the chamber, leaving nothing but the impression of green light still spotting Zagreus’ vision.

But it wasn’t a “no.”

-/-/-

Zagreus defeated Hypnos again.

Hades defeated Zagreus again.

This time, when Zagreus fought his way back to the familiar cave, Hypnos was waiting for him.

“Complications got you again, huh?” Hypnos asked, his hammer slung lazily over his shoulder.

“Unfortunately,” Zagreus replied, readying his grip on Coronacht.

“Ah, well. It means we get to see each other again!” Hypnos pointed out brightly.

Zagreus let out a little breath of amusement. “There is that.”

“Oh, and hey, y’know, now that I’ve seen the house twice, I can definitely say that it sure is different! All decorated and everything! It looks pretty great.”

“I think that’s mostly been my doing. Mine and the House Contractor, of course. I’ve been gathering resources while ransacking my father’s realm, and I’ve been using them to update the house a bit.”

“Well I like it! Everything is so different! Except for how everyone wanted me to leave just as soon as I got there. That hasn’t changed a bit!” Hypnos imparted this information with cheer, but it made Zagreus frown.

“Hypnos,” he asked slowly, “if you feel like you won’t be welcomed… do you still want to go back?”

“Yep!” came Hypnos’ immediate reply.

“Why?”

“Well, they have to talk to me eventually, right?” Hypnos shrugged one careless shoulder. “I mean… they can’t ignore me forever! Not again, at least.”

“Hypnos…”

“Hey, I never asked!” Hypnos loudly overrode Zagreus’ attempt at any kind of question. “Just why are _you_ so insistent on _leaving_ the house?”

“Well…” Zagreus hedged; it was a fair question, he supposed. It wasn’t as though he hadn’t asked Hypnos quite a few personal questions; all the same, revealing his full intent didn’t seem wise. “There’s someone I’m looking for.”

“Huh.” Hypnos gave him a curious look. “I guess we kind of have something in common, then.”

“Do we?”

“Sure! There’s someone we both really wanna see! I want to get back _into_ the house so I can see my mom and my brother, and you want to get _out_ so you can see… well, whoever it is you’re looking for!”

“I… guess that’s true,” Zagreus replied, wincing internally at just how apt the comparison was.

Zagreus only wanted to see his mother, but Hypnos was standing in his way. Hypnos only wanted to see _his_ mother, but Zagreus was standing in his. Neither could get what he wanted so long as the other persisted.

“Anyway! Neither of us will ever get anywhere if we just keep standing around talking!” Hypnos declared, swinging his hammer up off his shoulder and touching down on the cave floor to signify he was ready.

Pushing extraneous thoughts to the side, Zagreus raised Coronacht and prepared to fight. They each had their goal, and there was no shame in each fighting as hard as they could to achieve it. That was simply how things worked.

Clouds of sleep billowed up around them and Zagreus fired a volley of arrows in answer.

The fight this time was quick and bloody, and ended with Zagreus rising up out of the Pool of Styx – but it had been a very near thing.

-/-/-

Back at the house, Zagreus ran into Thanatos much sooner than he’d anticipated, standing at the balcony and watching the Styx flow by in something like peace. Zagreus was almost loath to disturb him, but Thanatos _had_ promised… sort of. He had at least _implied_ that he would tell Zagreus about Hypnos later, and if Zagreus had to prod him into it, he would.

Thanatos greeted Zagreus with a quiet nod and Zagreus prepared to jump right in.

“So… you were going to tell me about Hypnos?”

Thanatos sighed. He seemed irritated—more tangibly than usual—but again, he didn’t deny Zagreus. Zagreus went on.

“I just don’t understand why no one will talk about him. Other people have been banned from the house before and they’re not forbidden to speak of. He can’t possibly have done anything _that_ bad.”

“In terms of scale, no, maybe it wasn’t _that bad_ ,” Thanatos finally said sharply. “We don’t speak of it out of courtesy. It was… a difficult decision for Mother Nyx. To bring it up to her— _repeatedly_ —is rude, to say the least.”

Zagreus had the good grace to at least flinch under Thanatos’ glare. “Er. Maybe I could have had a bit more tact there, yes, but…” Zagreus sighed. “At first I was hoping for someone to reveal some way I might be able to defeat him more easily. Now, I can honestly say I just want to know what happened.”

“He committed treason against the house.”

It took Zagreus a moment to register the serious accusation veiled in Thanatos’ flat tone. “He _what_?”

“The first rule of the house is that there is no fighting. You do not raise your weapon and you do not use your powers against others,” Thanatos continued, tight and controlled. “He broke that rule.”

“He – What? What happened? Why did he do it?” Questions tumbled out faster than Zagreus could order them. “He seems so… _benign_ most of the time, and this is coming from someone who’s been killed by him multiple times.”

“ _Lazy_ is what he is,” Thanatos snapped. “But when he puts his mind to it… he’s dangerous. He has power over sleep – all sleep. Anyone or anything _capable_ of sleep can fall under his whims, under the correct circumstances. And one day—or night, whatever—as far as we can tell, he just snapped. Lost his temper.”

Zagreus tried to imagine Hypnos doing anything of the sort. He doubted if Hypnos really even _had_ a temper. But the idea of him suddenly snapping – it wasn’t pleasant.

“Hypnos put the whole house to sleep. Trapped them within nightmares,” Thanatos went on. “No one is sure how long it went on, but when he finally released his hold, things were in complete disarray. New arrivals were backed up from here to Asphodel, the shades that he caught in nightmares were in a panic, Cerberus went on a rampage, my own work was a _disaster_ –”

“You?” Zagreus cut in with surprise. “He put _you_ under, too? I mean, putting the likes of Father to sleep I could understand, but… you’re his brother, aren’t you?”

“His _twin_ , as it happens,” Thanatos corrected him stiffly. “But he got all of us… even Mother Nyx.”

Zagreus’ brows went up in shock. “He put _Nyx_ to sleep?”

“He threw the entire delicate balance of the House off. It was argued that, strictly speaking, he didn’t _hurt_ anyone, but the show of power was dangerous enough. He was banished from the house,” Thanatos concluded. “As for why…”

Thanatos fell silent, but Zagreus wouldn’t be content until he had the full story – or at least as much of it as Thanatos knew.

“There must have been some reason,” Zagreus insisted. “You said he lost his temper, but over what?”

“Admittedly, we don’t know. He… wouldn’t say.” Thanatos was practically staring a hole into the flow of the river at this point, and Zagreus frowned.

“Wouldn’t say, or wasn’t asked?” he pushed. “I know how Father does things, and I know Nyx doesn’t exactly have patience for breaches in the rules at the best of times. Was he given any chance to explain himself?”

“They made the correct decision,” Thanatos stated, stepping around Zagreus’ question. “Hypnos broke the rules, and he faced the consequences. They could have been far harsher with him than they were.”

“So that’s it,” Zagreus scoffed. “One rash act who even knows how long ago and he’s banned for good, no hope of reprieve?”

Thanatos rounded his glare on Zagreus, the gold of his eyes flashing with ire. “What right have you to judge, Zagreus?” he demanded. “You weren’t even there.”

“That’s how long ago it was!” Zagreus insisted. “And it doesn’t seem like anyone’s checked in with him since! Not until Father roped him into stopping me from reaching the surface.”

“What is this? Have you formed some kind of attachment to him?” Thanatos sneered. “You said yourself, he’s killed you _multiple times_. Moreover, he barely did his job, barely did _anything_ while he was here. He slept and made inane remarks that aided no one. The house is better off without him.”

Zagreus stared at Thanatos in the wake of his harsh denouncement. Did he really care so little for his brother? Think so little of him?

No, Zagreus realized, taking in the tightness around Thanatos’ eyes. This wasn’t hatred or disgust, and it certainly wasn’t a lack of care – Thanatos was angry, still, at what Hypnos had done. Angry because perhaps he thought he’d known Hypnos better than that; or, knowing Thanatos, maybe he was angry because he couldn’t _stop_ caring.

“I don’t think you believe that,” Zagreus said at last. “Whoever else might think it, you don’t. Not really.”

If possible, Thanatos’ frown became more severe and then, predictably, he disappeared.

Zagreus sighed.

He would be back. Thanatos always came back.

Zagreus resigned himself to the awkwardness of their initial interaction when he did, and went to prepare for another run through the Underworld. Maybe he’d give Exagryph a workout; his feelings seemed to echo the explosive temperament of the rail just at the moment.

-/-/-

Though his conversation with Thanatos did stick in Zagreus’ mind, between one thing and another he didn’t quite get around to asking Hypnos about it. He was still trying to find a way for Orpheus and Eurydice to reconcile, and he had stumbled across Patroclus by chance in a far corner of Elysium (at least, Zagreus assumed it was by chance), and then he got onto a roll in making it up to the temple, and before he knew it, it had been a good five or so escape attempts since he’d spoken with Thanatos.

He’d been getting closer and closer to defeating his father. He’d been so close last time that he was absolutely certain he would win this time. He had Hades’ attacks and rhythm nearly memorized and he knew he could counter it.

All he had to do was get past Hypnos again.

Hypnos, who was waiting for Zagreus when he entered the cave but neither with his usual lackadaisical cheer nor his calm intention to provide a first-rate roadblock to Zagreus’ progress. Instead, he seemed thoughtful – almost subdued.

“Hey, you’ve sent me back to the Pool of Styx, like, a handful of times now, at _least_ ,” Hypnos said, speaking more to his knees than to Zagreus as he floated in place. “But I, uh. I never see Mom. Mother– Mother Nyx? I mean, I’m usually just in and out real quick: up out of the Pool, up to Lord Hades’ desk so he can yell at me, and then _woosh_ , outta the House. But I never see her where she used to stand. Did she move?”

“I, uh.” Zagreus cleared his throat; Nyx had made it quite clear that she didn’t want Zagreus to speak to Hypnos about her – yet there was a hopeless sort of confusion in Hypnos’ gaze that compelled Zagreus to answer. “I don’t think so. Just around the corner from my father’s desk, right?”

“Yeah!” Hypnos brightened for a moment to find that Zagreus knew the spot he meant, then wilted as he realized the implication. “…yeah. She does know, doesn’t she? I mean, she must. That I’ve been helping? And working hard to defeat you?”

There was no good way to answer that. Zagreus couldn’t tell Hypnos that Nyx was the one who had started him on this quest, that she didn’t _want_ Hypnos to defeat him – that she didn’t want Hypnos to succeed, if for different reasons than Hypnos might imagine. Zagreus couldn’t admit any of that to Hypnos without spilling the whole story of how he’d come to be there, which he was still fairly sure was unwise, but he’d never been comfortable lying, not to anyone.

“She’s… aware, yes. I’m not sure she’s happy that my father has pulled you into this, but she knows,” Zagreus finally said.

“And she knows where I am. Doesn’t she?” Hypnos asked, turning unusually alert eyes onto Zagreus; he could see the same intensity he was used to in Thanatos’ flashing gold eyes, recalled Thanatos telling him that he and Hypnos weren’t just brothers, but twins.

“I did mention it to her, but I, uh. I think she already knew,” Zagreus said, trying for gentle but getting the feeling he landed somewhere around awkward.

“Huh.” Hypnos looked back down, fiddling with his fingers in his lap for a moment. “…she’s not going to see me, is she?”

“Well, it’s… hard to say?” Zagreus hedged. “The house is kind of in a bit of an upheaval right now, what with my repeated escape attempts, and…” Again, Zagreus couldn’t quite bring himself to lie to Hypnos. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I…” Hypnos drew in a shaky breath. “I understand.”

There was another moment of silence, and though Zagreus was antsy to be on his way, he also felt bad demanding Hypnos stand and fight him right this moment. He cleared his throat uncertainly.

“Did you…”

The sudden motion of Hypnos summoning his hammer and lowering his legs to stand on the cave floor cut Zagreus off.

“Alright! Let’s get this show on the road then, huh?” Hypnos said, cramming his usual enthusiasm back into his voice.

“I… Yeah. Let’s.” Zagreus raised his sword, and they were off.

It wasn’t a ferocious fight. It wasn’t he most difficult fight Hypnos had ever given Zagreus. It wasn’t even very long. There was no… _life_ to it. Hypnos was putting in _effort_ , but very little thought. There were no little tricks, no unexpected changes in pattern, just clouds, hammer, daggers, and then Stygius through Hypnos’ chest.

He didn’t even seem startled. He just closed his eyes and let the Styx take him.

Overall, it was a kind of disappointing performance, but it left Zagreus in much better shape than usual, and so he wasn’t going to question it. He made his way up to the Temple, past the satyrs, past Cerberus, and finally… past Hades.

Greece was beautiful.

His mother was more so.

They talked. They embraced. And then… Zagreus died.

All that work, and it turned out that Zagreus really _couldn’t_ escape the Underworld. Not for good.

But that wasn’t going to stop him from going back. Again, and again, and again, until he was satisfied.

(Zagreus knew himself well enough to know that he would probably never be satisfied, but that was neither here nor there.)

-/-/-

Zagreus made it past his father again (and again).

He would have chalked up his success to his increasing strength from Nyx’s mirror, to his increasing experience and ability in fighting his way to the surface, and to his increasing determination, but he also knew that at least a small part of his string of successes came from the fact that Hypnos wasn’t providing as much of a challenge anymore.

Hypnos still fought hard, but it didn’t particularly seem like he was trying to _stop_ Zagreus. At best, he was perhaps trying to be a hinderance – just going through the motions.

Something about it irritated Zagreus.

If Hypnos truly had lost his temper and forced his power on everyone at the house, then he’d had to have known what would happen. He’d had to have known there would be consequences. And now, to just… mope like this, instead of continuing to try to change his circumstances, to do something to prove he didn’t deserve to be out here anymore, it irked Zagreus.

Finally, consequences be damned, Zagreus couldn’t help but demand: “Why did you do it?”

Hypnos, in the midst of lazily stretching his arms behind his back, stopped and looked at him. “Do what?”

“Thanatos told me what got you banished from the house.” Zagreus didn’t relish the way Hypnos’ eyes went wide with visible anxiety. “He said that you put everyone to sleep, trapped them in nightmares, and that you were banned for it. That you lost your temper one day and just… snapped.”

Hypnos cleared his throat, pulling his hands back around in front of himself to fidget. “Well, uh. If – if that’s what Than says happened, that must be what happened!”

Zagreus leveled a calculating look on Hypnos. “But it’s not, is it?”

“It’s… I mean, that’s _kind_ of what happened,” Hypnos hedged.

“But it’s not the whole story.”

“I – I’m not – I’m not sure how to explain it,” Hypnos stuttered. “I don’t know if I can. Can I just… show you?”

Though Zagreus was well past the point of thinking Hypnos really wished him ill, the offer made him suspicious. He still hadn’t forgotten his very first visit to Hypnos’ cave, and how the friendly offer of a drink had wiped him out. He wanted to understand what was going on, but he didn’t want anything to get in the way of his reaching his mother.

“Not now, don’t worry!” Hypnos assured him, as if divining the reason for his hesitation. “We’ll fight, just like always! Just… next time you’re back at the house. I’ll show you, okay? If – if you really want to know.”

“…alright,” Zagreus agreed after a beat.

“Alright!” Hypnos agreed, and summoned his hammer into being.

Zagreus bested him with Aegis, then bested Hades as well, then ran to his mother’s cottage, where she told him that he shouldn’t come back. That he couldn’t.

Zagreus rose from the Pool of Styx seething with frustration. They couldn’t all just continue to _hide_. He hadn’t gone all this way just to lose his mother, just for nothing at all to change. He _hadn’t_.

He would go right back out his damned window and fight his way back up to the surface and he would get his mother to reconsider. He would get her to see his point.

He was so intent on this, in fact, that he entirely forgot about Hypnos’ promise to show him what had happened until he passed by his bed and felt a strong—and incredibly familiar—tug of exhaustion.

The promise came rushing back.

“Really? _Now_?” Zagreus groaned, but found he couldn’t quite resist Sleep’s call.

Zagreus laid down on the bed. He slept.

He dreamed.

.

.

.

There were clouds. They drifted and billowed, fine as mist and thick as solid stone, enveloping Zagreus and coursing around him.

Among the clouds, there were stars. He’d glimpsed the night sky during and after his fights with his father, but it was never like this. Never so clear, so _tangible_. The stars formed shapes and constellations Zagreus had never seen in his books, had never been taught by Achilles or by Nyx, and he felt that if he just reached out, he could rearrange them into even more new and fantastical shapes.

This place felt right. It was warmth and comfort and home. Wherever he was, this was where he was at his best, where he was meant to be.

This was a feeling Zagreus had seldom experienced—a feeling of rightness, of entire belonging—and when he reached out, he realized that these were not his feelings – and not his hands. The fingers were long and thin and blue-tinged; not Zagreus’ but familiar. Hypnos’ hands.

Hypnos’ feelings.

These were Hypnos’ memories, Zagreus realized. He was being shown, as promised.

Hypnos reached out and cradled one of the stars gently. It sang in his hands. Zagreus could feel the life attached to it, the life threading from all of the stars around him, the thoughts and feelings and hopes and fears, and knew intrinsically that these were mortals. Each star represented a dream, the life of a sleeping mortal, and Hypnos was watching over them all.

This was Hypnos’ purpose.

A pulse of energy startled Hypnos where he floated in the dreaming world. It was familiar to him, and it was familiar to Zagreus, too. A harsh call followed shortly after the pulse, pulling Hypnos from sleep.

When he woke, Thanatos was standing before him, somehow managing to look down on Hypnos despite the fact he and Hypnos were hovering at the same height. He looked about as displeased with Hypnos as he had with Zagreus when they’d first met up again in the fields of Elysium.

When Thanatos spoke, the words didn’t come out sharp and clear, but were muddled in the way some conversations in dreams were. This was not a specific occurrence, but the gist and sum of most interactions. The intent, the tone – those were obvious. Thanatos spoke frankly, unkindly.

“Stop wasting your time on sleep and do some actual work for once,” the phrase came through more audibly than others.

There was a thrill of outrage, of upset, from Hypnos. He _was_ working. Sleep wasn’t a waste of time, Sleep was _him_. The negativity was then smothered by a wave of exhaustion—why bother explaining?—and then finally shoved away by an attempt at cheer.

Hypnos promised to do his best.

Thanatos vanished.

A rapid cycle melted by; the peace of Hypnos caring for the realm of sleep, the jarring frustration of various others—most often Thanatos, occasionally Hades, sometimes even Meg—pulling Hypnos into the waking realm. People being rude and dismissive and derisive. Hypnos’ attempts to brush it off, to focus on his list and on the line of shades before him—he was the _greeter_ , Zagreus realized—and the pull of sleep on his senses. The pervasive emotional exhaustion and buried and buried and buried offense that no one seemed realize he was trying to take care of two things at once.

Zagreus was conscious of the fact that he was asleep, yet he couldn’t remember having ever felt so tired. It dragged on him.

Nyx was in front of him. She was clearer than the others had been, in sharper focus and detail; this, then, was not a summary of encounters, but a specific meeting.

Rather than the calm reassurance Zagreus had come to associate feeling around Nyx, he felt apprehension. Anxiety.

“Mo– uh. Mother? Can I talk to you?” Hypnos’ voice came out reedy and uncertain.

Nyx did not seem as warmly open to the idea as she did when Zagreus approached her. “What is it, Hypnos?”

“I just…” There was the desire to spill his feelings, to confide in Nyx, in _anyone_ , to receive the comfort and solace that once came from his mother, and the words dried up in their urgency.

“Remember, you are meant to be practicing independence,” Nyx said solemnly. “Is this a problem you can solve on your own?”

“I – well, I don’t… know.”

“Have you tried?”

The feeling of utter hopelessness pulsed within Hypnos’ chest, the memory of the dismissal when he tried, the clawing fear that it was too late to ever convince anyone of his worth.

“I…”

“Do your best to see to it yourself, Hypnos,” Nyx cut in gracefully, something like a bolstering strength in her voice that really only sounded like condemnation.

“Right! Of course!” Hypnos acquiesced immediately; he wanted to make her proud, even if he didn’t know if he could. “I just – actually, I just thought I might ask… how you’re doing? Maybe we could just catch up a little?”

Nyx looked down at him, expression smooth. “It is best if we maintain a level of professionalism, my child,” she said at last. “You should return to your duties by the Pool.”

“Right,” Hypnos replied softly. “Of course.”

Hypnos floated by the Pool, alternately ignored and snapped into wakefulness by the other inhabitants of the house, and reached a conclusion. A breaking point.

The dead didn’t _need_ to sleep. Gods didn’t _need_ to sleep. No god of the Underworld would ever truly understand what sleep _was_ unless they experienced it _fully_.

The desire to make others understand swept over Hypnos, and on its heels came the terrifying and ugly desire to make them suffer. Hypnos didn’t give into the second desire fully, but was unable to dismiss it as well as he’d have liked.

The plan dropped into Zagreus’ head fully formed. Hypnos waited until Thanatos visited the house, until as many servants and inhabitants as possible were present, and then he laid a spell of sleep over the lot of them.

It was gentle. _Masterful_ , Zagreus could understand. No one thought to fight against it because it happened so naturally. They yawned and they listed and they found places to sit and lie and _sleep_.

Hypnos guided them through the full spectrum of it, gave them the grand tour. He gave them the rest and the peace and the dreams, but in the end could not resist the impulse to show them their nightmares. To show them what happened when Hypnos wasn’t allowed to maintain his realm.

It was instructional, but it was also unkind. Hypnos lost his taste for it shortly, and released his hold on the house. He knew waking them from nightmares was a mistake—if you wake from a nightmare, it’s all you remember—but he was done with this show. All he wanted now was to sleep himself, as performing such a feat was exhausting, but he knew what would come next.

Retribution.

Chaos descended on the house as its inhabitants woke.

Zagreus woke with them.

.

.

.

The desolate little hole that had ripped in Zagreus’ chest when his mother had told him not to come back felt as though it had doubled in size. Zagreus laid on his bed and fought the bizarre and uncommon urge to cry; he’d never really been a crier, not even as a child, but he could feel tears building up hot and sharp behind his eyes. Perhaps they weren’t even his.

He laid there until the tears had receded and then he stood up, taking a minute to shake out the oddness of inhabiting someone else’s mind, to realign himself with his own thoughts and his own body, and then took stock of himself.

Zagreus wanted to see his mother again. He wanted to talk to Hypnos.

Luckily, both desires could be taken care of in one trip, and Zagreus moved out into the courtyard, grabbed Varatha, waved to Skelly, and leaped out into Tartarus.

Still distracted by the dream and by his frustration with his own situation, the journey was a little more fraught than usual. The Hydra came quite close to sending Zagreus home, but he made it all the way to the end of Elysium just the same.

Charon provided Zagreus with a good, healing meal, and then Zagreus was stepping into Hypnos’ cave, where Hypnos was standing, waiting for him.

There was a long moment of silence.

“I shouldn’t have done it,” Hypnos said at last, his voice soft and sore, confirming Zagreus’ suspicions that the tears hadn’t been his at all. “I know I shouldn’t have. I just… I wanted them to see _so badly_. To see what I could do, to see how… how essential it can be! To just… see _me_.” Hypnos sighed. “But it was still wrong.”

“It was an invasion and a violation of the house rules, yes,” Zagreus agreed, and Hypnos cringed, “ _but_ … it was a long time ago, Hypnos. I think you’ve more than paid for it. You don’t deserve to be stuck out here still.”

Hypnos’ head snapped back up, staring at Zagreus incredulously. “I don’t… _deserve_ …?” he mumbled faintly, questioning, and Zagreus shook his head.

“You don’t.”

Hypnos let out a strained little laugh that was followed by more laughter, that was followed by more, that grew in pitch and breathlessness until Zagreus wasn’t sure if Hypnos was laughing or sobbing. Concerned, Zagreus reached out, perhaps for the first time since their first meeting, without any violent intent; he closed the distance between them and had nearly managed to place his hand on Hypnos’ shoulder when Hypnos came to himself and jerked back.

“Sorry, sorry,” Hypnos giggled, clearing his throat. “It’s just… it’s funny.”

Zagreus frowned. “I’m not going to forget what you showed me, and I promise I’m going to find a way to help,” he said seriously, hesitating on the edge of his next words, “…but I need to get past you, still.”

“It’s okay.” Hypnos waved off Zagreus’ concern. “I really don’t think there’s any chance you’ll be able to help, but I appreciate the offer!”

“If you don’t think I’ll be able to help, why did you show me at all?” Zagreus asked, brows scrunched in confusion.

Hypnos shrugged. “You were the first person who asked and who really seemed to want to know the answer. Anyway, I don’t really mind that you can’t help. I like it when you come here. I mean, sure, we have to fight to the death, but it’s not like death is such a big deal for us!” Hypnos waved a hand, and his cheer seemed genuine. “And you’re really the only person I get to see with any regularity, except when I catch Charon going by on the Lethe sometimes. It’s a nice change of pace!”

That wasn’t acceptable, Zagreus decided. Hypnos wasn’t going to content himself with glimpses of Charon and brief brushes with exalted shades and periodic death matches with Zagreus. That wasn’t all his life was going to be – whether Hypnos had faith in Zagreus or not, Zagreus would find a way to make things better.

But Zagreus had his own quest, too.

He and Hypnos fought, and though Hypnos was still missing that latent ferocity from when he still thought he might be able to appease Hades and get back into the house, Zagreus didn’t mention it.

-/-/-

Zagreus returned to his mother, in spite of her warnings, in spite of his father’s increasing temper, again and again.

He’d always known that Hades was stubborn, and he was coming to understand that Persephone was, as well, and that the two of them combined had managed to produce and even more stubborn child.

Zagreus would make them understand—understand that this had to be fixable, workable, that there was a solution—and he didn’t care how many times he had to die to do it.

He went back and he went back and then, at last, _at last_ , the Underworld’s queen returned. Zagreus’ mother came home. To be with _him_. To be with all the people she had missed.

But Zagreus’ work wasn’t done.

He had a new job in the house, a new purpose, one he actually quite excelled at. He had friends to help: Dusa’s confidence to boost, Sisyphus to free, Achilles to convince to take a chance. He had relationships to build and to rebuild: new memories to make with his mother, a neglected friendship to breathe new life into with Thanatos, some naïve fumbles to fix with Meg. And between all of that, he hadn’t forgotten his promise to Hypnos.

The codex had finished filling out its entry on Hypnos, and Zagreus read over it with increasing consternation.

_It is possible, however, that they simply do not understand the importance of Sleep to living morals: too little and they perish, too much and it is the same. We are at our most vulnerable in sleep, and thus I think I would prefer a god who is gentle, yet who is capable of defending that which he is charged with protecting when necessary._

Enough was enough; it was time to do something about Hypnos’ situation.

Zagreus doubted if talking to his father would do much good at all, but Nyx had proven supremely knowledgeable and quite helpful on the subject of contracts and agreements so far; it was very likely she would know some way to help.

However, at the same time, Zagreus had the sinking suspicion that she would not want to. The idea rankled and, when he looked back on the conversation later, Zagreus would admit there might have been a better way to approach the topic.

“Nyx,” Zagreus began tentatively as he approached after another run, “I know… you don’t want to talk about Hypnos. I know the memory of what happened pains you and that it was difficult for you to enforce the rules of the house at Hypnos’ expense, but… I have to ask: don’t you think he’s been made to suffer enough? It’s been so long.”

Without actually changing, Nyx’s expression went from one of placid ease to disapproving affront; with greater familiarity, Zagreus could now say with certainty that she had picked up that talent from Chaos themself.

“The point was never to make Hypnos suffer. Do not think so poorly of me,” Nyx said, smooth and sharp as glass. “The point was to enforce the sanctity of the house. The point is _still_ to enforce the sanctity of the house.”

Zagreus winced. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to imply that you had ever wished him harm. I know how much you care for your children. I just… Did you know?” Zagreus couldn’t keep the question from pouring out, and did not want to. “How everyone was treating him, prior to when he put the house to sleep?”

_Did you know what_ your _treatment was doing to him?_ Zagreus didn’t quite dare to ask.

Rather than give an immediate response, Nyx fell silent for a long moment. A true frown had begun to tug at the corners of her lips.

“I had… an inkling,” Nyx said at last. “I chose not to step in. It was important that he learn how to stand up for himself.”

“But – when he _did_ , he was punished. I mean, I understand that he went overboard, but that…” Zagreus shook his head. “There was no way for him to _win_.”

“Do not presume to know all sides of this argument, Zagreus. There is more to it than just Hypnos’ perspective,” Nyx replied, her tone a warning that Zagreus had no intent yet of heeding.

“But no one ever even bothered to _ask_ for his perspective!” Zagreus shot back.

When Nyx answered, it was not with the anger Zagreus had expected, but with the tired manner of one speaking to a child who refused to understand.

“It matters not. Lord Hades will not allow Hypnos back into the house on the terms of their agreement,” she said firmly. “If you have further thoughts on the matter, I do not need to hear them at this time.”

Zagreus scowled up at Nyx, trying very hard not to feel like the child she spoke to him as. “ _Fine_ ,” he bit out, and turned to walk back to his room.

He did not stomp—he was _not_ a child throwing a tantrum—but he strode with firm purpose.

“Father won’t allow Hypnos back in?” he muttered to himself, already heading for the courtyard. “We’ll see about that.”

-/-/-

Zagreus fought furiously. He made his way to Hypnos and fought the god of sleep with a vicious sort of purpose that clearly surprised Hypnos. In turn, Hypnos fought Zagreus harder than he had in what seemed like ages; it was a _challenge_ , but Zagreus was on a mission – more of a mission that usual, anyway.

There were more than a few close calls, blows that Zagreus dodged on pure chance alone that would have otherwise ruined his plan, and though he suspected this all would have been easier had he been able to let Hypnos in on his plan, he couldn’t quite imagine Hypnos would go along with it. Hypnos was already convinced there was no chance for him, so Zagreus would just have to pull him along for the ride.

At last, he caught the signs of Hypnos lagging; Zagreus himself was probably nearer to death than was ideal, but he was gaining the upper hand.

“Listen,” Zagreus grunted, dodging a strike from Hypnos’ hammer and returning with a blow to his ribs with Malphon, “when you get back to the house, stall.”

Hypnos faltered for the briefest of seconds. “Wh-who says I’m the one going back to the house?” he asked, though he was clearly winded.

“Just don’t let them kick you right back out. _Stall_ ,” Zagreus demanded, lunging under the wave of daggers Hypnos sent his way. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”

Now fully in Zagreus’ reach and teetering on the last of his energy, Hypnos managed to give Zagreus an odd look. “Zag–”

Driven by the rhythm of the fight, Zagreus didn’t give Hypnos the chance to finish, landing a final hit that sent him sprawling. The waters of the Styx seeped up through the floor and Zagreus barely paid them a second glance. He could only hope that Hypnos listened to him. He snatched the darkness when it appeared and dashed for the exit as soon as the door unlocked.

Zagreus splashed through the healing fountain—really, _whose_ idea had it been to connect door locks to the fountains?—and climbed his way up to the temple so quickly even Hermes would be proud. He didn’t stop to chat with Charon and barely gave a wave to Cerberus before sprinting into the nearest satyr tunnel, hoping that whatever was in that first chamber was something nasty.

His wish was granted: a couple of satyrs caught sight of him, and their poison made quick work of whatever stamina he had left. Before Zagreus knew it, he was breaking the surface of the Pool of Styx.

Swiping water from his face and struggling to get his bearings, Zagreus scrambled up the steps of the pool, nearly slipping and braining himself on the stone, and looked up ahead to his father’s desk.

Sure enough, Hypnos was still standing before Hades, blithely chattering on about something while Persephone looked on in bemusement and Hades watched with rapidly waning patience. He raised is hand, ready to dismiss Hypnos and send him back to Elysium, and Zagreus called out.

“Stop!” he yelled, running up towards the desk. “Stop, stop, _wait_.”

Hades paused, looking from Hypnos, who had just been defeated by Zagreus, to Zagreus, who was standing before him now. “What are you doing back already, boy?”

Take a square stance beside Hypnos, Zagreus turned his chin up and met his father’s gaze squarely. “I’m here to argue Hypnos’ case, since apparently no one is going to listen to him.”

Beside Zagreus, Hypnos went stiff, turning to stare at him. “Uh… Zag, what are you doing?” he murmured.

“Helping,” Zagreus muttered back. “I said I would.”

Hypnos’ eyes flicked back over to where Hades sat, clearly unimpressed with the pair of them. “I’m not so sure…”

“It’s time you let Hypnos back into the house, Father,” Zagreus cut in, voice strong again. “He’s more than paid his dues.”

Hades opened his mouth, a scathing retort clearly on the tip of his tongue, but Persephone beat him to it.

“Wait, Hypnos is still banned from the House?” she asked, turning a confounded stare on her husband. “You never rescinded that?”

“I never intended to,” Hades said gruffly. “His ban should have been permanent, based on his violation of the rules of the house. The bargain we entered into was a more than generous offer.”

The brow Persephone raised at him suggested that she had suspicions to the contrary. She turned her attention to Hypnos. “And what were the terms of this bargain?”

Hypnos cringed under the question, glancing once more at Hades before looking back to Persephone. “Uh. The deal was that if I could stop Zagreus from reaching the surface, then Lord Hades would unban me from the house. And I could come home.”

“Hades…” Persephone cut a sharp look back at the throne, “not even _you_ were able to stop Zagreus.”

“Irrelevant,” Hades snapped.

“And if Hypnos had succeeded, I wouldn’t be standing here with you now!” Persephone went on.

“The outcome is not the _point_ ,” Hades growled. “The fact remains that Hypnos was unable to uphold his end of the bargain and thus he cannot be allowed back into the house under its terms.”

Persephone shook her head. “Hades, you’re being unreasonable. It never sat right with me, how that situation was dealt with. I understand that lines were crossed, but this is all a bit much.”

“It’s been long enough, Father,” Zagreus insisted, further emboldened by his mother’s support of his—and Hypnos’—cause. “This isn’t fair, and you know it.”

The resulting look on Hades’ face was thunderous. “Do not speak to me about _fairness_ –”

“Please.”

The reedy plea cut across Hades’ rumbling bark, momentarily startling him into silence. Three sets of eyes turned to Hypnos, who looked a little like he was regretting his entire existence, never mind speaking up, yet he spoke again anyway.

“Please. I understand that – that I shouldn’t have put everyone to sleep! I get that, and I get why everyone was upset, it was more than reasonable to be angry and even kick me out! I get it! But – It’s…” he swallowed, glancing down to the floor before looking back up to where Hades sat. “It’s been so long, and I miss – I miss everyone, and everything, and it’s so lonely out there and I – I’ll do whatever you ask of me. I will!”

Hypnos’s voice was rising, frantic, the sudden prospect of being able to argue—or beg—his case hitting him fully. Zagreus wanted to reach out, to reassure, but he wasn’t sure if that would make things better or worse.

“You can all even go back to making fun of me, if you want!” Hypnos went on, a tinge of manic plea threading into his tone. “You missed that, didn’t you? You – you can, and – and I won’t complain or lose my temper this time, just _please_ …”

Zagreus refused to hear anymore. “Hypnos,” he said firmly, reaching out to place a hand on Hypnos’ shoulder. “Mate, you don’t have to debase yourself. You deserve respect, just the same as every god in this house.”

Hypnos shook his head, biting at the inside of his lip. “I’ll do whatever it is,” he insisted, looking over at Zagreus, “I just don’t want to go back out there alone.”

Persephone’s face softened, and she shifted towards Hypnos even as Hades scoffed.

“ _Respect_ ,” he rumbled. “One does not deserve what one never pays.”

“And he cannot be expected to pay that which he was never shown,” a new voice fell over the hall, clear and cutting and calm.

Zagreus looked up and found Nyx gliding towards Hades’ desk from the direction of the west hall, expression sharp and purposeful.

“Perhaps I should have said as much sooner,” Nyx continued, drawing level with the group gathered before Hades.

“Mom…” Hypnos breathed, gone entirely still beneath Zagreus’ hand.

Nyx looked to him and, slowly, gave him a nod before turning her attention back to Hades.

“The treatment my son was shown was not acceptable. I knew this then but did not intervene in hopes that he would defend himself against it. I was disappointed when he did not.” Nyx imparted this all matter-of-factly, and Zagreus could feel Hypnos drawing in on himself, but Nyx went on. “I now realize that perhaps not everyone can operate under the same set of circumstances. I have come to see that, occasionally, people may require all manner of help in order to accomplish things.” She looked to Zagreus. “Learning methods may… not be universal.”

Turning her attention back to Hades, Nyx went on, firm and implacable. “Hypnos did violate the rules of the house. This is not in dispute. However, he has served a more than adequate punishment. He performed well under the conditions of your agreement and accomplished as much as anyone could be expected to, given the circumstances. It must be reiterated that even you yourself have been unable to stop Zagreus entirely from reaching the surface.” Nyx paused, and Zagreus could feel a weight gather in the air around them. “Yet if this is not enough to convince you, then as a favor to me, Lord Hades, for my loyalty and for all I have done to serve this house, I would ask that you rescind Hypnos’ ban from the House of Hades.”

Silence fell over the hall. Even the constant low murmur of the milling shades faded away. Nyx’s request sat heavily before Hades, weighed with formality and protocol, the look on his face somewhere between stunned and outraged.

Not once in Zagreus’ memory had Nyx ever asked Hades for a _favor_. He was willing to bet she’d never done it all—never had to—and this made her request all the more significant.

Hades couldn’t brush it off.

“And what will he do to benefit the house?” Hades asked after a moment, half stalling for time to think things through. “How will he serve it?

“Hades, he’s Sleep Incarnate,” Persephone chided. “I realize sleep is more a luxury for the dead and for immortals, but surely you realize he does have a purpose to serve.”

Frowning—more noticeably than usual, at least—Hades only hummed, eyeing Hypnos speculatively.

“And!” Hypnos piped up quickly, “And I can go back to greeting by the Pool, and keeping records! I’ll stay awake this time, I swear!”

“Hypnos, they have a shade doing that. Surely there’s something more suitable for you?” Faded as it was, Zagreus couldn’t quite forget the feeling of frustrated hopelessness that he’d experienced when looking down at the list of the dead through Hypnos’ dream – it echoed how he’d felt working in the administrative chamber too well. “I mean, you do a pretty good job of stopping me at Elysium. Couldn’t you go on being part of security?”

“I – well, I mean, if that’s what the Master asks of me, then I will, but…” Hypnos shrugged. “I’m not really a fighter.”

That was rich, coming from someone who still regularly gave Zagreus a run for his money, but Nyx chimed in before Zagreus could point this out.

“In addition, working as Greeter and Record Keeper at the Pool of Styx would still afford you time to tend to the realm of sleep.”

Zagreus wasn’t so sure about that at all; if everything went right back to the way it was before Hypnos had been banished, what would keep events from repeating themselves?

Hypnos, however, seemed enthusiastic, and Hades seemed near to being swayed – though, really, there hadn’t been much question once Nyx had thrown down the gauntlet of a _favor_.

“If you are to return, it will be on probation,” Hades said to Hypnos at last, “and only through the intervention of your mother, who has appealed to my good will.”

There was that incongruous phrase again; wisely, no one pointed out how little sense it made.

Hypnos gave a jerky nod and remained uncharacteristically, though wisely, silent.

“As long as we have an understanding,” Hades said slowly, eyes still boring into Hypnos.

Hypnos nodded again, and Hades sat back in his throne with a terse nod of his own.

“Then everyone ought to return to their own business,” he barked, picking up his quill.

The chatter of the shades started up again, the heavy air of expectation beginning to lift. Hypnos looked around, bewildered.

“Wait, that’s – that’s it? I’m… I’m allowed to stay here now?”

“You may travel within the walls of the house as you will, as long as you keep up with your duties.” Hades looked up again from his parchmentwork. “I expect you to resume your post by the Pool of Styx as soon as you have resituated yourself. _Quickly_.”

Hypnos jumped, nodding furiously. “Of course! You bet! I just have to grab all my stuff from Elysium and get it all back here somehow? Or, uh – do I even still have a room here? It’s been so long, I guess I’m not really sure!”

Likely sensing that Hypnos was beginning to dance on Hade’s last nerve, Persephone swept forward with a warm smile on her face.

“Well, Hypnos, allow me to officially welcome you back to the house,” she declared. “I would show you to your room, but I’m afraid I’m still getting reacclimated to things here myself. But surely Nyx knows where you will be staying?”

Finding herself under Persephone’s expectant gaze, Nyx nodded. “Of course,” she replied, as much to Hypnos as to Persephone. “Your room has been left untouched during your absence, save by the cleaning staff. Do you remember the way?”

“I–” Hypnos’ mouth worked for a moment, but produced no sound. “Yeah, I think I do, but–”

“Perhaps Zagreus will be good enough to walk with you, and to make you feel once again at home?” Nyx cut in smoothly.

Zagreus frowned. “I can, but Nyx–”

For once paying Zagreus’ words no heed, Nyx crossed over to Hypnos and took his face in her hands. Hypnos went so still under her touch that for a moment Zagreus was certain he was going to cease floating and crash down on the floor.

“We have much to discuss, my child,” she said softly. “I must gather my own thoughts, but I will seek you out later.”

Hypnos stared up at her. “O-okay.”

Nyx frowned, rubbing her thumbs across his cheeks, where Zagreus had noticed a smattering of dark speckles spread across his skin the first time they met.

“What is on your face?”

Hypnos laughed, sounding again on the verge of hysteria. “One of the shades told me they’re called freckles. Elysium is so much brighter than I’m used to!”

Nyx brushed her thumbs back across his cheeks once more, looking at him intently now, and Zagreus began to feel like he was intruding.

“…so much to discuss,” she murmured again, but then she released Hypnos, stepped away, and disappeared.

For a moment, Hypnos and Zagreus stood there—or Zagreus stood, while Hypnos floated—uncertain of what to do next, until Persephone gently urged them along to get Hypnos resituated.

Zagreus had never spent time in the part of the house that held the servant’s quarters, but Hypnos seemed to know the way, and Zagreus was willing to follow his lead. For a short while, they moved in a silence unbecoming of either of them, and it wasn’t long until Zagreus gave into the urge to break it.

“You know, I was thinking, if all your old belongings are still in your room here, maybe you should just keep your cave as is.”

“Huh?” Hypnos tilted a curious look at Zagreus. “Why? I don’t need to go back!”

“You don’t have to, no, but if you ever wanted it, you’d have something like… a retreat,” Zagreus offered. “Somewhere that’s entirely yours where you can go to be alone when you need it.”

“I think I’ve had enough of being alone for a while,” Hypnos replied quickly, raising his brows at Zagreus.

“Right, poor choice of words.” Zagreus grimaced. “Maybe just think of it as a place where you can go if you ever feel overwhelmed, or just need time. It’s not like anyone else is vying for the space.”

Hypnos brought their miniscule procession to a halt in front of a closed door, unmarked and indistinguishable from any of the others in the hall. “I guess not!” he conceded. “Hey – if I’m not gonna be there to stand in your way anymore, d’you think you’ll be able to just… walk up out of Elysium?”

“Oh, no, I’m sure my father will find someone else to hinder my progress.”

“Hmm. Wonder who’s going to be lucky enough to land the job?” Hypnos pondered as he reached out to open the door, sounding for all the world like he really did think anyone would be lucky to take over the position.

Zagreus had his own thoughts about that, but he let them be as he followed Hypnos into his old room. It wasn’t unlike the living space Hypnos had carved out in his cave, if more luxuriantly furnished. The bed was large and covered with red and purple pillows and throws, though arranged more neatly than on Hypnos’ other bed; there were soft rugs on the floor and colorful hangings on the wall; there was even a worktable to one side of the room. There were no poppies, though; Zagreus found he missed them.

As promised, the room was neat and clean, looking like Hypnos had just stepped out a few hours ago, rather than an untold number of years.

“Well, this is it,” Hypnos said, glancing around the room, seeming a bit lost. “I guess I should… Well, I don’t know, actually. I never thought I’d get this far! I guess I should… get to work? Lord Hades did say…”

“Hypnos, it’s alright if you need to take a bit,” Zagreus insisted, turning away from the room to face Hypnos. “This is big, isn’t it?”

“I – yeah, it’s – it’s pretty big,” Hypnos stuttered out, a disbelieving little grin spreading across his face. “This is like some kind of dream, only it’s not, because I would know, but part of me really feels like that’s all it could possibly be!”

Zagreus reached out and placed his hand on the juncture of Hypnos’ shoulder, just beside one of his winged pauldrons, and squeezed comfortingly. “This is real, Hypnos.”

For a moment, Hypnos only stared at Zagreus, biting at the inside of his lip; then, faster than Zagreus had ever seen him move outside of a fight, Hypnos ducked in and swooped Zagreus into a hug.

He held Zagreus tight, chin hooked over his shoulder and arms wrapped around his back. The amethysts at his collar were digging into Zagreus’ chest, but Zagreus didn’t dare push him away; he wrapped his arms around Hypnos and returned the hug.

“You didn’t have to do this,” Hypnos mumbled.

Zagreus shook his head, the curls of Hypnos’ hair brushing at his ear. “Come on, you’re my mate. In a weird… ‘we frequently kill one another’… kind of way. But maybe now we can have a conversation that doesn’t lead to a death match,” he suggested brightly. “Anyway, of course I wanted to help you.”

Hypnos squeezed Zagreus with more strength than should have existed in his lean frame. “ _Thank you_.”

Zagreus squeezed him back, hard enough that Hypnos let out a breathless laugh but didn’t move away. They let the hug linger just a little longer, and Zagreus found he didn’t mind; he’d gotten too few of these when people tried to lean on decorum and his status as Prince of the Underworld.

Eventually, Hypnos did pull away, and Zagreus didn’t mention the way he swiped discretely beneath his eyes as he did. When he spoke again, it seemed that the effervescence had returned to his voice in earnest.

“So hey, why did the queen just say she’s still reacclimating?”

Zagreus blinked at Hypnos. “Seriously? Hypnos, she’s been gone for ages.”

“ _Whaaat_!” Hypnos gasped. “When did she _leave_?”

“Just after I was born. But I don’t know when that would have been in relation to when you were, uh… banished…” Zagreus shrugged.

“And she _just_ got back?”

“She – I – _she’s_ the person I kept going to the surface to find!” Zagreus spluttered. “You really didn’t know any of this?”

“ _Woah_.” Hypnos shook his head. “Nope, I didn’t have a clue! Why were you trying to find her?”

Zagreus sighed. “We might as well sit down. This is kind of a long story.”

There were, at least, plenty of comfortable places to sit in Sleep Incarnate's bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last part is all just. Friendship. And Hypnos becoming happier. That's it


	3. Chapter 3

Zagreus rose from the Pool of Styx, swiping his hair out of his face.

“That could have gone better,” he groaned, stepping up out of the pool.

The Great Hall was quiet but for the general low murmur of the shades; Orpheus was probably off in Asphodel now, visiting Eurydice.

But Zagreus did hear the squeak of a familiar voice nearby, and looked up ahead to find Hypnos floating at the head of the hall, armed with a piece of parchment and a quill.

He was looking down, speaking to a shade in front of him, and gave Zagreus a perfect view of the new red eye mask that sat on top of his head, which matched all the red of his new outfit. Gone were the drapes and jewels of Hypnos’ previous look, replaced by a simpler red chiton and golden jewelry. He’d added a flowing cloak, but the winged pauldrons had remained.

Hypnos’ conversation with the shade seemed to be wrapping up, so Zagreus moved to get into line, smiling a little at the novelty of it.

“Welcome to the House of Hades,” Hypnos began, once he’d waved the shade on through, “where – wait, I know you! I guess that means you died out there again, huh?”

Being asked in such a sunny tone, Zagreus couldn’t really take offense to the blunt observation and instead let Hypnos’ friendly grin take some of the sting out of his death.

“Unfortunately. But I’ll get them next time,” Zagreus declared. “You look different, by the way.”

“Oh, yeah! The house looks so different and all decorated and everything, so I thought maybe I should update my look, too!” Hypnos dropped his list and quill in his lap and grabbed the edges of his cloak to flare it out demonstratively. “Whaddya think?”

Zagreus took in the looser fit of the new chiton, the plush look of the cloak, the way it seemed to make Hypnos a little softer around the edges yet somehow continue to stand out brightly against his surroundings, and nodded.

“It suits you,” Zagreus decided.

“Aw, thanks, buddy. Now let’s get you all checked in.” Hypnos snatched his list up and began scanning it. “Let’s see here, Zagreus, Zagreus, Zagreus… ah! Wait. Wait, wait, _wait_. Cause of death: _The Bull of Minos_?”

Recalling the fight he’d just left behind, Zagreus groaned. “Apparently, with you out of the picture, I’m now facing the Champion of Elysium and the Minotaur. Two against one is almost as difficult as facing an actual god.” _Almost_ , though it certainly would have been easier without Theseus calling up to Olympus for aid. “And let me tell you, King Theseus is a real piece of work–”

“Okay, but who cares about him,” Hypnos cut in, brushing away the mention of the legendary King of Athens, “you got to meet the _Bull of Minos_! I am _such_ a big fan!”

“Of… the Minotaur,” Zagreus confirmed slowly.

“Yeah! Hey, you’re gonna be facing him again, right?” Hypnos asked, clutching his parchment to his chest in excitement. “Do you think you could get me an autograph?”

“Wait, let me get this straight.” Zagreus held up a hand for pause. “You want me to… ask the person who just killed me, and will in all likelihood kill me again… for an autograph.”

Hypnos nodded eagerly. “Yeah! Would you?”

“You know, Hypnos, tempting as that sounds, I think I’m going to pass,” Zagreus drawled.

Hypnos slumped back with a whine, his parchment and quill dangling dramatically from his fingertips. “Aw, c’mon! I’ve never met him myself. You’ve gotta!”

“You lived in Elysium for how long, and you never once ran into the champions?” Zagreus asked, one brow cocked.

“Nah.” Hypnos straightened up again with a shrug. “The arena was a little too bright and crowded for me, I only managed it a couple of times.”

Zagreus recalled how Thanatos had expressed his distaste for bright light as well; he wondered if it was a shared trait amongst Chthonic gods or a shared trait between brothers.

“Hm. Well, I’m still going to have to keep attempting to kill the Bull of Minos, rather than fawning over him. But,” Zagreus held up a finger, signaling for Hypnos to wait while he dug around in the aether, “while it’s not exactly an autograph, I do actually have something for you.”

“You what?” Hypnos watched, perhaps disproportionately befuddled, as Zagreus finally found what he was looking for in his pocket.

“Here we go,” Zagreus murmured, pulling out a bottle of nectar and presenting it to Hypnos.

Hypnos stared wide-eyed at the bottle, his hands coming up to accept it without any apparent input on his part, grasping the little round container without really seeming to feel it.

“I – you – You got this for me?” Hypnos tore his eyes away to glance up at Hades’ desk, and Zagreus could have kicked himself for forgetting about Hypnos’ “probation,” but Hades didn’t seem to be paying them any attention. “Why?”

“It’s something to give to people you care about,” Zagreus explained. “It never really seemed right to give it to you before we fought, but I can give it to you now.”

Hypnos continued to stare at the bottle for a moment longer. “This is… wow. I mean – thanks! This is so nice!” he stuttered out. “And, uh, here, I actually have something for you, too!”

From the depths of his new robe, Hypnos produced a familiar piece of blue fabric with trailing red ties: his old eye mask. He presented it to Zagreus, who accepted it with at least as much grace as he’d managed to accept all the other odds and ends people had presented him with in exchange for nectar; it was the thought that counted, after all.

Still…

“You know, I’m still not going to take a nap if you give me this,” Zagreus said with a smirk.

“Which is a shame, really,” Hypnos replied. “But I think this’ll help you out, anyway! Y’know, somehow. Probably!”

Zagreus chuckled. “Well, thank you, Hypnos.”

“Thank _you_ ,” Hypnos echoed, tucking away the bottle of nectar as Zagreus stowed the mask.

They continued to stand for a moment longer, until Zagreus realized with a start that he could just… walk away. He laughed again, a little awkward as he looked over at Hypnos. “Is it weird that I was expecting us to start fighting just now?”

Hypnos shrugged, offering Zagreus a smile. “Well, I’m glad we don’t have to!”

“You know? Me, too.”

-/-/-

The mask Hypnos had given to Zagreus peered out at him from its cubby in the keepsake cabinet as he pondered over his choices. He hadn’t had occasion to try it out just yet, occupied with attempting to fill out some of the fated minor prophesies, but he supposed there was no time like the present.

Tying it on was a bit awkward, and it seemed to push his hair further into his eyes rather than hold it back like it had Hypnos’, but Zagreus persisted in finding a way to get it to stay put.

“Fancy new piece you go there, boyo,” Skelly commented as Zagreus fiddled with the mask. “What’s it do?”

“I’m not sure yet,” Zagreus muttered, tugging at the ties, “but… I’m going to find out.”

As soon as he got it on. The damned thing seemed more inclined to fall over his eyes than stay tied to the top of his head, and so with a sigh, Zagreus let it. Sometimes these things knew better than he did.

No doubt looking silly, Zagreus tied the mask over his eyes, where it settled naturally, almost comfortably, but he couldn’t actually go out like this – he couldn’t see a damned thing.

Hooking a thumb under one edge of the mask, Zagreus pushed it up, taking his bangs with it, and let it rest on top of his head, where, finally, it seemed content to stay.

“Huh.” Zagreus tilted his head, attempting to get a look at his faded reflection in the glass door of the keepsake cabinet, then turned to Skelly. “Well, what do you think, mate?”

Skelly didn’t exactly have eyebrows, but Zagreus was given the impression that one was being raised at him. “Well, it don’t exactly go with the rest of your outfit there, pal, but you do you, I guess.” Skelly shrugged.

“Well, blue never was my color,” Zagreus snickered, closing the cabinet and turning to his weapons.

He supposed he couldn’t look any sillier than he did parading around with Cerberus’ old collar buckled around his neck, at least.

For the first few chambers, Zagreus noticed no difference; no extra abilities, no extra protection, and only a funny look from Athena before she granted him a boon. Midway through Tartarus, Zagreus had mostly forgotten he was wearing the mask, and before he knew it, he’d reached the chamber of the Furies.

Alecto was up, growling about trash god this and actually kind of uncomfortable observations about his blood that; Zagreus had actually started tuning her out a bit at this point, only zoning back in when it became apparent she was about to attack.

Zagreus readied himself as Alecto stretched her wing and ducked into a position to lunge, yet when she finally moved it wasn’t to barrel at him at top speed, but to dash somewhat sluggishly in his direction. For a moment, Zagreus stood, confused, as Alecto came towards him furious as ever but at only a fraction of her usual speed.

Then, as his sense returned to him, Zagreus could feel a warmth coming from the mask tied to the top of his head. Zagreus grinned.

“Actually very useful, Hypnos,” he muttered, before lunging at Alecto with a shout.

He didn’t imagine the effect would last long, but surely it would be long enough to get in a few good hits.

(And it was.)

-/-/-

Nyx’s faint smile was as welcoming as ever, despite the fact she and Zagreus hadn’t had much chance to speak since Hypnos’ return.

Yet when she did speak, Nyx’s tone was the same combination of motherly warmth and aloof wisdom that Zagreus had always known, and he was glad to banish any fears—however irrational—of her holding a grudge.

“How are you faring in your new, official role in the house, my child?”

“Oh,” it wasn’t the question Zagreus had expected, but a fair one, “well, it’s still a little odd. The idea that I’m breaking things to help fix them. Being openly congratulated when I get back, rather than all that business going on behind Father’s back… but it’s nice, I think.”

“You should take pride in all you have accomplished,” Nyx assured. “You are deserving of the praise you receive.”

The knot sitting in Zagreus’ gut that had only just loosened tightened up again – it wasn’t quite guilt, but a heavy reminder of the unaddressed wretched lout in the room.

“Thank you. Nyx…” Zagreus rubbed at the back of his neck in hesitation, “we haven’t discussed… Hypnos. That whole situation. And I’ve been trying to figure out how to bring it up because I’m really not _sorry_. I’m not sorry for how things turned out. But I don’t want you to think that’s because I don’t respect you. I do, and I care for you deeply, I just…”

“You care for Hypnos, as well,” Nyx filled in softly.

“Yes,” Zagreus sighed. “Odd as it is, we really did become friends, and I couldn’t just leave him out there.”

Nyx nodded. There was a stern set to her face; not displeased, but serious. “I did not appreciate having my words to you discarded, and though Hypnos’ banishment from the house was not my order, it did feel very much as though you went behind my back to have it undone.” Zagreus winced, but Nyx went on. “However, in spite of this, I too am grateful for the outcome.”

“You are?” Zagreus shook his head. “Well, no, that’s not _surprising_ , I never thought you wished Hypnos ill, and you were the one who got Father to rescind his ban, it’s just…”

“My children are each unique,” Nyx said, apropos of nothing. “Each with their own aspects and desires. I care for each of them, and I will support them as I see necessary, but it is Hypnos that I have had perhaps the most difficulty in understanding. He is also the one I thought _others_ had the most difficulty in understanding.

“I sought to instill a sense of independence in him, because of this. The slights of others pained him more than his siblings, and it was my desire to provide a remedy for this.” Nyx shook her head. “I was very determined in my approach, and I thought if he would only work hard enough at it… None of my other children have resisted such methods.”

“But the same things won’t work for everyone,” Zagreus pointed out gently.

“So I have seen,” Nyx replied. “And so I have discussed with Hypnos. I do not always know how best to help him, though I dislike admitting as much, but I can try… to understand.”

“Sometimes, I think that _is_ all anyone needs,” Zagreus assured her. “I might not be an expert, but I think just trying to understand will go a long way.”

Nyx smiled again. “Your confidence counts for much, my child, and I do appreciate it. I believe I can also say with certainty that Hypnos has appreciated your confidence _and_ your friendship.”

“Well, hopefully everyone else will be able to appreciate having him around again.” Zagreus shrugged. “He brings in a certain cheer most of the rest of us can’t quite manage.”

The quirk of Nyx’s lips became somewhat puzzled, but no less fond. “He does,” she admitted, and Zagreus couldn’t help but smile in return.

It was certainly progress.

-/-/-

The sensation of going abruptly from being made of unyielding stone to rising fluidly from the Pool of Styx was a jarring one, and one Zagreus could have as soon done without. He wiped the water from his face with a sigh and climbed up out of the pool.

The Pact of Punishment was really proving to be a hassle; he hadn’t been taken out by the gorgon heads in Asphodel since back before he’d regularly started making it past Lernie. But it did keep things interesting, he’d give it that.

Glancing around the hall, Zagreus spotted his father at his desk, Cerberus resting on his bed, Orpheus plucking gently at his lyre, and Hypnos… just floating at his post. Not busily checking off shades, not doodling away in the margins of his parchment, not even sleeping as Zagreus had caught him doing a few times, but just staring, eyes half-lidded and vacant. He didn’t even startle into alertness when Zagreus approached.

“So, I just got taken out by some middling enemies in Asphodel and you don’t have a snappy remark for me?” Zagreus joked. “No advice, even?”

“Wha-?” Hypnos shook his head, his gaze focusing back on the world around him and finally taking Zagreus in. “Oh! Zagreus! Hey, welcome back! What did you say happened again?”

Zagreus tapped the edge of the list that was still clutched absently in Hypnos’ hand, and Hypnos glanced down at it.

“One of those gorgon heads got you, huh?” he asked, though perhaps not with quite as much enthusiasm as Zagreus had become accustomed to. “Well, at least you got to see what it was like to be a statue. I like statues!”

“Well, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be,” Zagreus quipped, smirking at Hypnos.

Hypnos smiled back, but it was a small thing, not quite the reaction Zagreus had been expecting. He already seemed halfway back to whatever contemplative place he’d been drifting in before Zagreus popped up.

“You doing alright, mate?” Zagreus asked.

“Hm?” Hypnos blinked, shaking his head. “Yeah, I’m fine! Great, really! No complaints from me!”

“Really?” Zagreus cocked his head, attempting to get a better look at Hypnos in the candlelit hall. “Because you seem a bit… down.”

“Well, I’m not!” Hypnos declared, smiling more broadly at Zagreus as if in proof.

Zagreus remained unconvinced. “People haven’t started giving you a hard time again, have they?” he asked carefully.

“Nope!” Hypnos shook his head again. “In fact, they barely even acknowledge me!”

“Hypnos, that… doesn’t seem better,” Zagreus replied, uncertain how Hypnos could be so at ease with this.

“Actually, it’s fine! Because at least they’re not all telling me how mad they still are about the whole sleep incident.” Hypnos shrugged. “And anyway, you talk to me, and Mother Nyx will nod and sometimes even say ‘hello’ when I go past to take my break in the lounge, and that’s more than I really would’ve expected! It’s great!”

It seemed like a damned low bar to Zagreus, but if that was all it took to make Hypnos happy, he supposed he shouldn’t try to poke holes in it. He couldn’t expect everyone to come around immediately; some things just took time. All the same, how much could it really hurt to remind Hypnos that he was allowed to want more? To help him achieve it, if he could?

“So you’re really okay? No complaints at all?” Zagreus wheedled.

“Hm. Uh, well, I guess…” Hypnos fiddled absently with his quill, rubbing the barbs between his fingers. “I mean, I guess, of all the people who don’t talk to me, I just kind of wish that Thanatos… wasn’t one of them?”

Brows furrowed, Zagreus parsed through the awkward phrasing and frowned. “Than hasn’t talked to you yet?”

Hypnos gave another shrug, an exaggerated show of carelessness. “Nah. Won’t even look at me, really. Of course, I know he’s busy!” Hypnos insisted, somehow both clipped and chipper at once. “Lots of mortals to take care of, people always dying and everything! But I wish maybe he had an extra minute to at least… wave, or something, y’know?”

Zagreus reached out, patting at Hypnos’ upper arm over the soft material of his quilted cloak; he’d found over the time since Hypnos’ return to the house that his friend responded well to casual touch, and that Zagreus himself enjoyed having someone who didn’t mind being the recipient of his free affection. Hypnos smiled at him, truer than the last one, and Zagreus returned it.

“I’ll talk to him,” Zagreus promised.

Thanatos had appeared early in Zagreus’ run, helping him clear a chamber in Tartarus, so it wasn’t a surprise to find him lingering at the balcony overlooking the Styx, though it was a relief. Thanatos could be a difficult person to track down when he didn’t want to be found.

Zagreus waved to Achilles on his way past and smiled at Thanatos when he turned to watch his approach.

“Nice work out there,” Thanatos commented, and Zagreus could only assume he was politely ignoring the fact that he’d died not long after Thanatos had left him.

“You, too,” Zagreus replied, leaning up against the balcony railing to look out over the river beside Thanatos, gathering his words carefully. “So… you’ve probably noticed that Hypnos is back.”

Or maybe not exactly “carefully.”

Thanatos snorted. “Is this supposed to be subtlety?”

Zagreus shrugged. “Not really. I’ve never been good at that. I’m just wondering… are you even going to acknowledge him?” The question wasn’t asked harshly but in genuine curiosity, and Thanatos crossed his arms, looking away.

“Eventually I suppose I’ll have no choice,” he said gruffly. “He does live in the house now.”

Zagreus sighed. “Listen, Than, I know you’re still upset about the sleep spell, but that really was a long time ago. You should at least talk to him about why he did it, and–”

“I know.”

“What?”

“I know why.” Thanatos frowned out over the Styx. “I spoke with Mother Nyx. She at least… gave me a version of events. She’s… also encouraged me to talk to Hypnos. She said it would be a good experience for the both of us.”

“Then… why haven’t you?” Zagreus pressed gently.

Thanatos sighed, reaching up and dragging a hand through his hair in a show of frustration he didn’t often allow. “I don’t know how,” he admitted at last.

“You could just start with walking up to him and saying ‘hello,’” Zagreus suggested with a nudge to his shoulder.

Thanatos’ answering elbow to Zagreus’ ribs was a little more than a “nudge,” but it did little to dissuade Zagreus.

“It’s not that easy, Zag.”

“It doesn’t have to be that complicated, either.”

Finally looking away from the rushing waters below, Thanatos shot Zagreus a look of disbelief. “The last time I saw him, he was being _banished from the house_ ,” he reminded Zagreus. “And I – I allowed myself to fester in anger over it because it was easier than admitting to… any other feelings about it. About him.”

“You missed him, didn’t you?” Zagreus asked, as much a question as a confirmation of what he already knew.

“He’s my twin,” was all Thanatos said for a moment. “I know I – I had trouble showing it, but I did feel it. And I felt it when he was gone… the lack of him.”

“Tell him,” Zagreus urged. “You cannot imagine how glad it would make him to know that.”

“Oh, I have some idea,” Thanatos hummed. “I did grow up with him, you know.”

Zagreus latched onto the lighter subject and allowed it to carry them away from the heavy conversation. “You should tell me about that sometime. I’d like to hear about the two of you as kids, causing trouble for Nyx.”

At that, Thanatos actually smiled, something at once wistful and rueful, but not altogether unhappy. “Maybe I will.”

Zagreus smiled, too. After all, it wasn’t a “no.”

-/-/-

Hypnos’ post was empty.

This was odd. Hypnos rarely seemed to leave his post these days; Zagreus had learned that he was more likely to find Hypnos napping his breaks away right there in the hall than he was to find him relaxing in the lounge. All the same, it wasn’t as though Hypnos wasn’t allowed to leave at all; Zagreus shrugged it off and made his rounds.

He said hello to his mother, made sure Cerberus got more pets, waved to Orpheus and gave him a smile for the song, had a brief conversation with Nyx, hit the lounge, and then meandered back towards the west hall. He’d already run into Achilles out in Elysium and didn’t expect to find him at his post, but he did suspect he’d find Thanatos at the balcony.

And sure enough, there Thanatos was – but he wasn’t alone.

Hypnos was there, perched on the couch Zagreus had commissioned for the alcove, and was chattering away about something. His grin was wide and genuine as he gestured animatedly to illustrate his point. Thanatos, when he answered, wasn’t quite as lively, but he _was_ talking.

Zagreus couldn’t hear what was being said, but Hypnos’ smile never faltered, and Thanatos was giving the occasional smile himself. They looked comfortable.

It seemed as though they’d been sitting there a bit; there were two nearly-empty bottles of nectar sitting on the table, and Zagreus smiled to see it. Keeping Thanatos in one place for long was no mean feat – yet even as Zagreus thought this, he could see Thanatos briefly look up and away, gaze going distant. It was a look Zagreus was familiar with: duty called.

Thanatos straightened up and said something to Hypnos, whose smile began to fade. He didn’t look quite sad as he began to get up off the couch, just thoughtful. Maybe apprehensive.

Zagreus had just enough time to realize that Hypnos and Thanatos were actually the same height before Hypnos leaned in and pulled Thanatos into a hug.

Zagreus couldn’t remember Thanatos ever looking more startled, his face a mask of shock and his arms raised above Hypnos’ shoulders as if poised to push him away. Zagreus hoped he wouldn’t, willed him not to; it would break Hypnos if he did, and Zagreus thought it would probably break Thanatos a little, too.

Then, slowly, Thanatos brought his arms down until they were resting uncertainly over Hypnos’ shoulders, and he returned the hug. It was almost painfully awkward, but it was sincere.

A moment later, Thanatos gently pried Hypnos away, nodded once, and disappeared.

Hypnos was left alone on the balcony, but he didn’t seem bothered. He swayed gently as he floated there, matching the soft beat of Orpheus’ song out in the Great Hall. He looked peaceful.

Smiling, Zagreus left him to his thoughts.

-/-/-

The Great Hall was filled with shades.

_Packed_ might have been more accurate. Zagreus stumbled right through a cluster of them upon emerging from the Pool of Styx, causing their vague physical forms to briefly dissipate.

“Ah, sorry.” He grimaced apologetically, turning to make sure they reformed behind him without trouble.

They were a bit disgruntled, but no worse for wear, and certainly not the most disgruntled shades in the hall; it seemed that everyone present had some kind of bone to pick with someone or something else. Hypnos was busy maintaining the line, so absorbed in his list that he didn’t even wave to Zagreus when he picked his way past, trying not to disturb anymore shades. Persephone was at the right hand of Hades’ desk, what Zagreus had gathered was her customary spot, looking rather harried just for being present.

“Mother,” Zagreus called her attention once he’d managed to cross over to her. “What’s going on here?”

“Ah! Zagreus!” Persephone opened her arms to Zagreus for a quick hug, never wary of showing affection in front of their subjects, even as Hades tended to grumble over it. “Well done out there.”

“Thank you. Has something happened here, though? We didn’t have another flood or something, did we?” Zagreus could remember when the Phlegethon overtook Asphodel; the house had been a nightmare for absolute ages.

“No, nothing’s happened, as far as I can tell. Just one of those days – or nights, maybe. You know, when everything that can go wrong, will, and everyone needs an ear for it,” Persephone filled Zagreus in in low tones, so as not to disturb the shade currently in audience with Hades. “We’ve heard petty disagreements, work order requests, complaints, appeals to reside elsewhere in the Underworld… it seems everyone wants your father’s attention today, and no one is being too reverential about it.”

Indeed, the shade front and center at the moment seemed to have some sort of issue with the stipend of goods received by the exalted in Elysium – though whether it was too little or too much, Zagreus couldn’t quite tell from the agitated chatter.

“That would explain why Father seemed so… reluctant to begin our bout up on the surface,” Zagreus murmured back to Persephone, recalling the way his father had carried on conversation long past when he usually would have begun brandishing his spear. “Didn’t want to come back here to face this mess once I defeated him.”

Persephone smothered a smile behind her hand, giving Zagreus’ shoulder a gentle shove in feigned reproach. Zagreus stifled his own laughter and watched for a few minutes as the line inched forward, one shade at a time; it was slow going that made him glad he’d escaped the administrative side of his duties as prince of the realm – at least for now.

He was just considering wading across the mass of shades once more to head to his room when another disturbance overtook the hall – a flash of green and a sudden displacement of souls as Thanatos appeared in the middle of the mess.

“What the–” Thanatos’ confusion at the crowd was only just audible over the irate murmuring, but he was quick to gather his bearings and excuse himself from the group he’d teleported right into.

Taking stock of the room, Thanatos zeroed in not on Hades, nor on Zagreus, but on Hypnos, who was still logging new arrivals. Something sharp and calculating came over Thanatos’ face as he made his way over to Hypnos, and Zagreus frowned, beginning to inch in that direction himself.

He adored Thanatos, he really did, but Thanatos was a great fan of _order_ , and if he’d decided that the reason the hall was presently _disorderly_ was because the line wasn’t being properly maintained, and if he’d decided that was Hypnos’ fault… Zagreus didn’t want to say at all that he didn’t _trust_ Thanatos, but Thanatos was still a little new to the idea of trusting Hypnos to do his job.

Thanatos made it to Hypnos before Zagreus did—the shades just seemed to part for him, while Zagreus had to pick his way around—but Zagreus was close enough now to hear what was being said.

“It seems Lord Hades is being somewhat overwhelmed by these unhappy shades,” Thanatos was murmuring.

Hypnos nodded emphatically without glancing away from his parchment. “Yeah, everyone’s in real twist over something or other today!”

“Perhaps… there is something related to your job you can do to assist?” Thanatos suggested.

“Oh, I’m on it, brother!” Hypnos declared, at last looking up to brandish his parchment at Thanatos with pride. “I’m keeping right on top of the list; everyone coming in is logged, and their reason for presenting themselves is getting put down by their name, and I’m even giving them an estimated waiting time! I’m kind of just making the number up, since I don’t know what time it is, but they don’t seem to know that?”

“No, that’s–” Thanatos sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “That’s great, Hypnos, but I mean your _other_ job.”

“My other–? _Ohhh_.” Hypnos glanced around the hall, pulling his list closer to his chest as his eyes roved over the crowds of shades. “Do you really think I should? I mean… last time I…”

“This isn’t anything like that,” Thanatos cut in firmly. “You’d be helping. From what you’ve told me of your abilities, I’m sure it would be no trouble for you.”

Hypnos looked torn – pleased by the praise, yet uneasy with the urging. “…maybe I should ask permission first? Just in case?” he mumbled after a long moment, so low that Zagreus barely heard him.

“ _Hypnos_ ,” Thanatos snapped, before taking a moment to modulate his tone. “Just do it. You won’t get in trouble. I’ll… vouch for you, if you do.”

“ _Really_?” Hypnos turned wide eyes up towards Thanatos. “Well… okay, I’ll give it a shot!”

The parchment and quill disappeared from Hypnos’ hands, banished to free up his attention, which he focused now on the mass of shades gathered in the hall. Slowly, he raised his hands, and Zagreus could see just a little of a very familiar tinge of gold to the air around his long, spread fingers. Almost instinctively, he braced himself for the effect, but he felt nothing.

The shades, however, began to quiet. Their agitated chattering slowed, their tones mellowed, and their movements became more languid. Zagreus expected them to begin nodding off, perhaps even disappearing, but they all just seemed much… calmer.

Even the shade currently complaining at Hades was affected, their speech suddenly much less high-strung, and Hades took notice. He was quick to deny their request and wave them away before looking out over the crowd and locking his stare onto Hypnos.

Hypnos looked back with a sheepish wave. “I just, uh. Put a little bit of peaceful sleep over them, Master.” He wiggled his fingers demonstratively. “Not enough to actually _put_ them to sleep, but enough to kind of mellow ‘em out, y’know? And _just_ over these shades! No one else!”

Hades continued to stare at Hypnos for a long moment, who seemed to be fighting the urge to cringe beneath the weight of it, likely imagining the advent of his re-banishment for using his powers in the house once again.

Finally, Hades spoke. “Hm. That is… most helpful. Thank you, Hypnos.”

Reeling as he was over the fact that his father _could_ just give someone a compliment without sounding entirely pained about it, Zagreus missed Hypnos’ relieved reply, but he _did_ catch the proud little smile Thanatos gave to Hypnos before disappearing in another flash of green.

When Zagreus turned away, realizing that the situation hadn’t needed his input after all, he caught sight of Nyx as well, who had come away from the corner, just enough to see what was going on in the hall. Her expression was a little less readable than Thanatos’—it always was—but she looked pleased, in her way.

And Zagreus he decided he was pleased as well, and moved off into the west hall, where he thought he’d spied Dusa fussing over the state of the statues some of the visiting shades had been congregating around.

-/-/-

It was odd, when Zagreus reflected on it, how quickly his trips back through the Pool of Styx had come to feel incomplete when Hypnos wasn’t there to greet him. He’d been entirely content with the House Greeter before, who’d been cheerful enough as far as formless shades went, yet there was something much more enjoyable about coming back to find a good friend smiling at him, even if said good friend was still pestering Zagreus about getting an autograph from Asterius.

Usually, it was safe to assume that if Hypnos couldn’t be found at his post, he was taking personal time elsewhere—he loved being around people again, as he mentioned to Zagreus frequently, but had also admitted that the constant presence of so many others after so long by himself could be a little overwhelming—this time, however, Zagreus found him not far from his post at all, sitting at a table near the back of the lounge.

The vacant smile Zagreus had come to recognize as Hypnos’ resting expression (so to say) was missing, leaving Hypnos looking strangely serious as he stared across the room. Zagreus followed his gaze and saw the featured house servant board.

Hypnos’ picture was on it.

“Hey,” Zagreus greeted as he approached, smiling when Hypnos finally looked over at him. “Congratulations, Hypnos!”

“Thanks…” Hypnos’ voice was far away, but then he blinked at Zagreus, as if only just seeing him, and began to laugh. “Thanks! It’s… I kind of can’t believe it!”

“Well, you deserve it,” Zagreus assured him, watching as Hypnos’ eyes were drawn back to the board, filled now with equal parts mirth and consternation. “Though you seem to be thinking pretty hard about it.”

Hypnos shrugged, smiling over at Zagreus. “Just trying to figure out _what_ I did to deserve it, I guess. That way, I can keep doing it!”

Reaching out, Zagreus grasped Hypnos’ shoulder and gave him a companionable little shake. “Come on, you earned it just by being yourself, by doing your best since you’ve come back. You deserve it because you’re you.”

Hypnos now looked entirely baffled, brows furrowed as he glanced from Zagreus to the board and back again. “Hmm… No, that can’t be right.” He shook his head. “It’s gotta be something, though!”

Zagreus sighed. He could imagine that after being told repeatedly that everyone he was doing—that just being who he _was_ —was wrong, and then spending so long isolated from others, Hypnos would have difficulty believing that people really did appreciate what he did now. In his own way, Zagreus could relate; his father had spent so long telling him that nothing he ever did was right, and yet now he was just supposed to believe that he was doing a good job? That he was offering a valuable service to the house by using his _natural skills_ , or something?

Sometimes it was too much to swallow.

“I understand that it might take time to sink in, but I promise, Hypnos… who you are is enough,” Zagreus said quietly; sometimes that was all _he_ wanted to hear – maybe it would resonate with Hypnos, too.

Hypnos didn’t say anything.

“And… here,” Zagreus added, reaching out to rummage around in the aether. “Something to celebrate.”

He produced a bottle of ambrosia and pressed it into Hypnos’ hands; as he had with the first couple of bottles of nectar, Hypnos accepted it almost automatically, staring down at it.

“I’m not sure if you’ve ever had the opportunity to try it, but it’s supposed to be something truly special, and… you don’t look very thrilled with it.”

Hypnos was clutching the bottle as though he was afraid he might drop it, a frown forming on his face. “I… killed you a whole bunch of times, you know,” he finally said.

That couldn’t possibly be what he was upset about, could it? Zagreus attempted to laugh it off. “Well, it never stuck,” he assured Hypnos. “Anyway, _I_ killed _you_ a bunch of times too, if you recall.”

Hypnos continued to stare at the bottle, and when he spoke, his voice was small. “I tried to keep you from seeing your mom.”

“Oh… Oh, Hypnos, you didn’t know.” Zagreus reached out, wrapping a hand around one of Hypnos’ thin wrists, and Hypnos’ gaze finally snapped up to him.

“I knew whatever it was up there, you really wanted it, but I kept standing in your way,” Hypnos said lowly.

“You did as you were asked,” Zagreus replied firmly. “When you think about it, _I_ tried to keep you from seeing _your_ mother. I even knew what was at stake for you, but I kept coming to face you anyway. We both had our goals. It wasn’t… an ideal situation.”

Hypnos snorted, giving a tired little laugh. “I guess not, huh?”

“I don’t hold it against you, you know. I couldn’t,” Zagreus assured him. “And if you’ll forgive _me_ –”

“What, are you kidding me?” Hypnos squawked, abruptly sitting up and clunking the bottle of ambrosia down onto the table to free his hands for waving. “There’s nothing to forgive! You’ve helped me so much, and – and – and I just – you know what? Y’know what, I’ve got something for you, too!”

Zagreus shook his head, even as Hypnos was already searching the aether for something. “You don’t have to–”

“Nope, nope, I don’t wanna hear it, Prince!” Hypnos declared. “Here, I want you to have this!”

At last Hypnos found what he was looking for and produced a small, plush rendition of a red onion, stitched together lovingly in purple and white fabric. Two flaps of its purple outer layer acted as arms and it smiled pleasantly up at Zagreus as Hypnos dropped it in his lap. Zagreus’ hands came up to feel the soft, careworn little toy as automatically as Hypnos had accepted the ambrosia.

“This is…” Zagreus began softly, excited in spite of himself.

“This is Ruby,” Hypnos said, reaching out to tap the ruffled top of the little onion’s head with one gentle finger. “Mom gave me and Than both a Chthonic Companion when we were little, and I’ve held onto mine since then. She really kept me company when I was… y’know, away from the house, and she means a lot to me.”

Zagreus balked, nearly dropping the plush toy back in his lap. “Oh, Hypnos, I _couldn’t_ –”

“No, no, let me finish!” Hypnos insisted with a couple of twitchy flaps of his hands. “Now that I’m back, and now that Mom talks to me more and Than visits with me and I get to be friends with _you_ … I think… I think I’ll be okay. And I think it would be great if you wanted to take care of Ruby, so I can help you, too!”

There was care and gratitude and affection emanating from the little toy in Zagreus’ hands, twisted into an aura of pure intent – a desire to accompany and a desire to help. It was, as with every Companion Zagreus had received, a unique and binding promise: _I will be there for you_.

Really, there was nothing Zagreus could say but, “…thank you, Hypnos.”

-/-/-

Zagreus took Ruby out on runs with him in rotation with the Chthonic Companions he’d received from all of his friends, and as promised, Hypnos appeared when Zagreus needed him. His assistance wasn’t quite as immediate as some others’, but in taking one massive swing at the ground with his hammer, Hypnos would daze and damage anyone and anything caught in the resulting blast radius before wishing Zagreus good luck and disappearing in a puff of gold. Not immediate, but still very useful.

He most enjoyed summoning Hypnos against the champion of Elysium; Hypnos had promised that he didn’t mind the brief trip into all the light and fanfare, and he was always excited to catch a glimpse of Asterius (Zagreus had eventually relented and gotten Hypnos his autograph; Hypnos had laughed when Zagreus had told him about Asterius’ insistence that Hypnos could come face him himself if he was really so interested, but he’d looked a little more contemplative about it than Zagreus had expected).

Besides all that, being delt a heavy hit by Sleep Incarnate seemed to piss Theseus right the hell off, which made the call more than worth it in Zagreus’ book.

He had, in fact, been planning on doing just that this run, Ruby tucked away in the aether and keeping him company as he fought his way through Elysium, until he realized that the path wasn’t taking him to the arena, but to a familiar, poppy-filled glade.

“Charon, mate!” Zagreus greeted when spotted the shop set up to the side of the entrance to Hypnos’ cave. “I don’t suppose you could tell me what’s going on? This definitely isn’t the arena.”

Charon shook his head, making a noise in the negative before waving his hand towards his wares.

“Alright, then… suppose I’ll just have to go on in and find out for myself,” Zagreus murmured, already reaching into his pocket for the money necessary to purchase the boon from Ares sitting amidst the other items.

As ready as he could be, considering he wasn’t quite sure what was in store for him, Zagreus entered the cave.

It hadn’t changed at all, right down to the figure in the center of it all: Hypnos, dressed in his old outfit and leaning drowsily on his hammer.

“Er… hi.” Zagreus gave a little wave. “Did I miss something?”

“ _Well_ ,” Hypnos gave a sheepish sort of chuckle, “y’know, since you’ve been carrying around Ruby and summoning me to help you out every once in a while, would you believe I’ve actually been having fun?”

“I’d believe it,” Zagreus answered quickly, recalling the vaguely manic little giggle Hypnos had given the last time Zagreus had called him up, just before he’d delt a fatal blow to Lernie.

“It’s made me realize, I actually kind of miss being out here sometimes! Just a little.” Hypnos pinched his fingers together to demonstrate a miniscule amount. “So I talked it over with Lord Hades, and we both thought it would really keep you—and potential escapees, of course—on your toes if maybe I came back out here to guard the exit every once in a while. Hope you don’t mind me hijacking your run!”

Zagreus couldn’t quite help it; he laughed. “You know, I’ve actually kind of missed seeing you out here, too? Theseus and Asterius are a challenge, but they’re not you.” He shook his head. “I won’t say I enjoy _killing_ _you_ , but…”

“It’s kinda fun, sparring like this, isn’t it?” Hypnos offered.

“It kind of is,” Zagreus agreed. “Though I’m honestly a little surprised to hear you say you feel the same. You said you’re not a fighter.”

Hypnos shrugged. “I’m not! Not really. But y’know, there’s a _special_ kind of sleep that comes after you physically exhaust yourself. It can be really fulfilling, in a way,” he explained. “I’ve… also heard that friends are supposed to… partake in one another’s interests? Something like that?”

“Is that so?” Zagreus asked, raising one brow at Hypnos yet smiling all the same.

“Yep! And since you seem to be _pretty_ interested in fighting, I can play along! Maybe one of these days I’ll get _you_ to take a nap with me in return!” Hypnos chirped.

“Well, hope springs eternal, Hypnos.” Zagreus smirked, unsheathing Stygius.

“Sure does! And I also kind of figured… well, people always seem so surprised that I can help you at all!” Hypnos went on, glancing down at the hammer he was still leaning on. “And I don’t really mind! But it wouldn’t hurt if they knew I was… well, y’know, pretty capable, right?”

“Right. People _should_ know, mate,” Zagreus said firmly. “I’ll even be sure to sing your praises to Orpheus when I get back to the house, so he can sing them to everyone else. I’ll tell him how well you fought… right before I defeated you.”

At that, Hypnos barked out a laugh. “Oh ho ho, Mister Confident over here! We’ll see about that!” He hefted his hammer up in his grip, but paused before getting into a battle-ready stance. “Oh, but hey! Before we start, can I get you something to drink?”

Zagreus groaned. “One time! You got me with that one time! You’ll never let me live it down, will you?”

“Nope!” Hypnos shook his head, grinning as he continued slyly, “but are you sure you don’t want anything to drink? Some guy at the house has just been handing out Ambrosia left and right, and I hear it’s even better when you share it with someone special. Someone like… maybe your best friend?”

Zagreus blinked. “Your best friend, hm?” he asked, and Hypnos nodded, a little more hesitant than before. “Well, I can hardly say no to an offer like that, can I? I _am_ sort of in the middle of something right now, though. How about I meet you in the lounge when we both get back home?”

“Back home, huh?” At this point, Zagreus doubted even death would be able to wipe the delighted smile off Hypnos’ face. “Home. Yeah, that… that sounds good.”

It did, Zagreus decided. It really did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1) Thank you again to Azure for listening to me as I fumbled through making up a Chthonic Companion for Hypnos (a conversation which mostly consisted of me yelling "What lives underground? Moles?? ONIONS??") and for helping me name it. I actually have vague ideas for the fable that would go with Ruby? Maybe I'll write about Hypnos telling to Zag one of these days  
> 2) Thank you to everyone who made it to the end of this silly fic. I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> You can also find me on [Tumblr](https://solarmorrigan.tumblr.com/), where I'd be happy to talk! (Also technically on Twitter under the same name, but I fear the angry blue bird so I'm not super well-versed in using it)


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